“GGC is uniquely positioned to provide our future officers with a first-rate education,” said Captain Jeff Smith of the LPD. “We are very proud to establish the Lawrenceville Police Scholarship at Georgia Gwinnett. Together, the Lawrenceville Police Benevolent Fund and GGC will be able to ensure that Lawrenceville has one of the best prepared and best educated local police forces in the country.”
Plans for the scholarship began in 2009, when LPD and GGC recognized that they shared a synergy. The college was in the process of introducing a criminal justice degree, while the LPD was renewing its emphasis on the importance of education to its employees. The two organizations began working together to establish a scholarship fund for criminal justice majors.
Initial contributions for the scholarship fund came from the Lawrenceville Police Benevolent Fund’s highly successful event, “A Run to Remember,” which honored the heroes of 9/11/01 and drew hundreds of participants each year. The run evolved into a successful partnership with Rock ‘n Ribville, which led to completion of the endowment in three years.
“We have been pleased to have the Lawrenceville Police Department’s support of our scholarship program from the very beginning,” said Lori Buckheister, associate vice president for Development at GGC. “With an endowed scholarship the funds raised remain in a managed account, and the account’s yearly interest is paid out as the scholarship. The benefit of endowments is that they provide permanent funding for their scholarships.”
Due to the success of the LPBF’s fundraising efforts, the Lawrenceville Police Scholarship Fund will begin awarding scholarships to GGC students in fall 2014, ahead of its original schedule. “The close collaboration between GGC Police and the LPD has long been a valuable asset to Lawrenceville. Now, we are working together to support the future of our own law enforcement community,” said Randy Johnson, chief of the LPD.
“The Lawrenceville Police Scholarship represents a concrete contribution to the safety and well-being of people living in Lawrenceville and Gwinnett County,” said Stas Preczewski, interim president. “We are grateful to the Lawrenceville Police Benevolent Fund for its tremendous effort in raising funds for this scholarship. Georgia Gwinnett College looks forward to honoring this commitment by educating some of the finest criminal justice graduates in the State of Georgia.” For more information about how to support the college, visit http://www.ggc.edu/give.
Georgia Gwinnett College is a four-year, accredited liberal arts college that provides access to targeted baccalaureate level degrees that meet the economic development needs of the growing and diverse population of Gwinnett County and the northeast Atlanta metropolitan region. GGC opened its doors in August 2006 as the nation’s first four-year public college founded in the 21st century, and the first four-year public college founded in Georgia in more than 100 years. Georgia Gwinnett produces contributing citizens and future leaders for Georgia and the nation. Its graduates are inspired to contribute to their local, state, national and international communities and are prepared to anticipate and respond effectively to an uncertain and changing world. Visit Georgia Gwinnett College’s Web site at http://www.ggc.edu.
