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WCU establishes endowed fund for elementary education students
9/24/2009 - 
Thanks to a contribution of $10,000 from Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice and part-time resident of Waynesville, Western Carolina University has created a scholarship fund as a gift to his wife, Pamela Sekulow.
The purpose of the Pamela M. Sekulow Endowed Scholarship Fund is to provide support for students showing academic potential with a declared major in elementary education. Undergraduate elementary education students may use the award to cover the cost of tuition and fees.
A committee composed of faculty from the elementary education department will select award recipients. Full-time undergraduate students are eligible to apply.
“Criteria used to select recipients include students’ ability to maintain an exemplary grade point average, as well visible leadership ability in and beyond the classroom,” said Jacqueline Smith, director of special programs and Teaching Fellows at WCU. “Along with academic merit, the committee will look for students with an enthusiasm for teaching and creativity in the classroom, as evidenced through their field work,” Smith said.
A 1977 graduate of Mercer University with a degree in elementary education, Pamela Sekulow said she would not have been able to finish her college education without scholarship assistance. “I entered school in fall of 1973 with enough money to pay for one semester,” she said. “I had no idea how I would pay for the tuition after first semester. What an incredible blessing it was to receive the scholarship.” Pamela Sekulow and her husband are pictured at above right.
It was his wife’s educational experience that led Jay Sekulow to make his gift to WCU. “Pam benefited from the generosity of donors at our undergraduate institution,” he said. “I know how important it is to provide financial support for students who have a desire for higher education.”
Jay Sekulow said he knew that, although Pamela Sekulow has not been in the classroom for many years, she always wanted to provide assistance for someone else to pursue his or her dream of becoming a teacher. “There is no greater gift than the opportunity to help someone receive an education,” said Pamela Sekulow, who taught in the inner city and in rural Georgia.
Last year, Jay Sekulow gave his wife a Christmas present of the endowed scholarship. “I opened up a package that contained a WCU T-shirt, license plate cover and a letter,” said Pamela Sekulow. “The letter told me that my husband had established the scholarship in my name. Needless to say, I was thrilled.”
The Sekulows’ relationship with WCU began about four years ago, said David Claxton, professor of health, physical education and recreation. Claxton was playing golf at Waynesville Country Club when he linked up with another lone golfer, Jay Sekulow. “We had a nice round of golf and that was that – except that I thought it was pretty cool when I read his name the next week in Newsweek as it was quoting Jay Sekulow’s opinion about John Roberts’ nomination to the Supreme Court,” said Claxton.
Three years later, after again meeting on the golf course, Claxton invited Sekulow to a WCU football game. “During this time, I mentioned to Jay that I was helping to identify WCU alums who had done well financially – possibly better financially than their spouses who had worked just as hard as teachers – to see if they would consider establishing an endowed scholarship in honor of their spouse,” said Claxton. “My wife, Mae, and I developed a good relationship with the Sekulows, and it was a very pleasant surprise when Jay called last December about creating an endowed scholarship to honor his wife.”
The Sekulows, who live in the Washington, D.C. area, have become friends with members of the faculty, former students and administration officials at WCU. “We support WCU programs educating teachers,” Jay Sekulow said. “We have been impressed with their commitment to education and to the students, and it is a privilege to be able to help students who want to serve their communities as educators.”
For more information about the fund, contact Chris Mueller, WCU’s executive director of resource development, by telephone at (828) 227-7124 or by e-mail at clmueller@wcu.edu. To contribute to the fund, make checks out to the “WCU Foundation” and sent to Mueller at the Office of Development, 201 H.F. Robinson Administration Building, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723.
Thanks to a contribution of $10,000 from Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice and part-time resident of Waynesville, Western Carolina University has created a scholarship fund as a gift to his wife, Pamela Sekulow. The purpose of the Pamela M. Sekulow Endowed Scholarship Fund is to provide support for students showing academic potential with a declared major in elementary education. Undergraduate elementary education students may use the award to cover the cost of tuition and fees.
A committee composed of faculty from the elementary education department will select award recipients. Full-time undergraduate students are eligible to apply.
“Criteria used to select recipients include students’ ability to maintain an exemplary grade point average, as well visible leadership ability in and beyond the classroom,” said Jacqueline Smith, director of special programs and Teaching Fellows at WCU. “Along with academic merit, the committee will look for students with an enthusiasm for teaching and creativity in the classroom, as evidenced through their field work,” Smith said.
A 1977 graduate of Mercer University with a degree in elementary education, Pamela Sekulow said she would not have been able to finish her college education without scholarship assistance. “I entered school in fall of 1973 with enough money to pay for one semester,” she said. “I had no idea how I would pay for the tuition after first semester. What an incredible blessing it was to receive the scholarship.” Pamela Sekulow and her husband are pictured at above right.
It was his wife’s educational experience that led Jay Sekulow to make his gift to WCU. “Pam benefited from the generosity of donors at our undergraduate institution,” he said. “I know how important it is to provide financial support for students who have a desire for higher education.”
Jay Sekulow said he knew that, although Pamela Sekulow has not been in the classroom for many years, she always wanted to provide assistance for someone else to pursue his or her dream of becoming a teacher. “There is no greater gift than the opportunity to help someone receive an education,” said Pamela Sekulow, who taught in the inner city and in rural Georgia.
Last year, Jay Sekulow gave his wife a Christmas present of the endowed scholarship. “I opened up a package that contained a WCU T-shirt, license plate cover and a letter,” said Pamela Sekulow. “The letter told me that my husband had established the scholarship in my name. Needless to say, I was thrilled.”
The Sekulows’ relationship with WCU began about four years ago, said David Claxton, professor of health, physical education and recreation. Claxton was playing golf at Waynesville Country Club when he linked up with another lone golfer, Jay Sekulow. “We had a nice round of golf and that was that – except that I thought it was pretty cool when I read his name the next week in Newsweek as it was quoting Jay Sekulow’s opinion about John Roberts’ nomination to the Supreme Court,” said Claxton.
Three years later, after again meeting on the golf course, Claxton invited Sekulow to a WCU football game. “During this time, I mentioned to Jay that I was helping to identify WCU alums who had done well financially – possibly better financially than their spouses who had worked just as hard as teachers – to see if they would consider establishing an endowed scholarship in honor of their spouse,” said Claxton. “My wife, Mae, and I developed a good relationship with the Sekulows, and it was a very pleasant surprise when Jay called last December about creating an endowed scholarship to honor his wife.”
The Sekulows, who live in the Washington, D.C. area, have become friends with members of the faculty, former students and administration officials at WCU. “We support WCU programs educating teachers,” Jay Sekulow said. “We have been impressed with their commitment to education and to the students, and it is a privilege to be able to help students who want to serve their communities as educators.”
For more information about the fund, contact Chris Mueller, WCU’s executive director of resource development, by telephone at (828) 227-7124 or by e-mail at clmueller@wcu.edu. To contribute to the fund, make checks out to the “WCU Foundation” and sent to Mueller at the Office of Development, 201 H.F. Robinson Administration Building, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723.
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Last modified Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009.