(MARSHALL) – A scholarship at Texas State Technical College will continue to aid students needing financial help to study, thanks to a generous gift.
The Rev. Earl Cantrelle of Longview recently gave $5,000 to the Clay Aaron Cantrelle Scholarship. The scholarship is named for Cantrelle’s grandson, a graduate of Marshall High School and TSTC, who died in a fire on May 8, 2010 at SCC Auto Center in Marshall.
The younger Cantrelle had an associate degree in software engineering from TSTC and at the time of his death lived at the business where he was also the office manager. Clay Cantrelle was 27 years old.
“He was a great kid,” Rev. Cantrelle said. “He had good intellectual abilities and enjoyed people. He was very helpful to my wife working in the garden and different things she did. We went camping when my grandsons were young and had some good times together.”
One of the TSTC students who received the scholarship this year, Joshua Jackson of Longview, said the money has been beneficial. He will graduate at TSTC’s Fall Commencement on Dec. 9 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Networking and Systems Administration and return in the spring to finish an associate degree in Cyber Security.
“I got laid off from my job in 2015 and I didn’t qualify for any grants,” Jackson, 35, said. “I had to pay using all student loans. The scholarship helped me a lot because I had some money left over to pay bills and normal standard of living stuff.”
Other scholarship recipients this year were Barbara Gill of Marshall, who is studying Professional Office Technology; Gerald Jordan of Gilmer, who is studying Process Operations and Tony Ratcliff of Marshall, who is studying Electrical Lineworker Technology.
Students who have at least a 2.5 GPA and write an essay can apply for the scholarship. Students who receive the scholarship are required to write a note of gratitude to the Cantrelle family.
For more information on scholarships at TSTC, log on to tstc.edu/financialaid/scholarships.
For more information on making a gift to TSTC, go to tstc.edu/tstcfoundation/giving.
