2024 Dorchester Chamber Foundation Scholars Announced

The Board of Directors of the Dorchester Chamber Foundation are excited to present the 2024 Foundation Scholars.  We awarded $31,000 to 10 students this year.  We can offer these awards based on generous grants received from the George B. Todd Fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, Koski Enterprises, The Nagel Family, and Care & Share Fund of Dorchester.  We also received great support from the community in the form of direct donations to the scholarship fund and support for the fund-raising activities we held throughout the year.  Denny Jones, Chairman of the Foundation says “We are very excited about the caliber of 2024 group of scholars and look forward to their future contributions to the community.
 

Ande Callahan 2024 George B. Todd Scholar Chamber Connection: IROMAN MD Ande is a graduating senior at North Dorchester High School. She will attend Liberty University in the fall and major in Nursing. Te'Shar Drummond 2024 Care & Share of Dorchester  Chamber Connection: ALL4LOVE Te’Shar is a graduating senior at Cambridge South Dorchester High School. He will attend Salisbury University in the fall to study business with future carer plans in the healthcare field. Kinley Elliott 2024 Jason T. Wise Scholar Chamber Connection: Dorchester Chamber of Commerce Kinley is a 2022 Graduate of North Dorchester High School and is a 2024 graduate of Delaware Technical Community College where she received an associate degree in business management.  She will attend Wilmington University in the fall to study Marketing. Ava Gomez 2024 Gerry Boyle Scholar Chamber Connection: Breckenridge Barn Ava is a graduating senior at North Dorchester High School.  She will attend Chesapeake College in the fall to pursue a career in dentistry. Daniel Hesson 2024 Jason T. Wise Scholar Chamber Connection:  City of Cambridge Daniel is a graduating senior at Colonel Richardson High School. His plans are to attend Salisbury University in the fall, majoring in accounting, and playing baseball. Maggie Hubbard 2024 Gerry Boyle Scholar Chamber Connection: Dorchester County Public Schools Maggie is a graduating senior at North Dorchester High School. Her plans are to attend Delaware Community College and major in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Mia Jackson 2024 Koski Enterprises Scholar Chamber Connection: City of Cambridge Mia is a graduating senior at Cambridge South Dorchester High School. She will attend The Landing School in the fall to study Marine Systems. Mackenzie Lewis 2024 George B. Todd Scholar Chamber Connection: Regal Rexnord Corporation/ Cambridge Engineered Solutions Mackenzie is a graduating senior at North Dorchester High School. Her plans are to attend Colgate University in the fall to study Psychology & Health Sciences. Wilhelm Reinbold 2024 Jason T. Wise Scholar Chamber Connection: Amedisys Home Health Wil is a graduating senior at Cambridge South Dorchester High School. He plans to attend the University of Delaware in the fall and will major in Biology/Premed. Emily Todd 2024 Gerry Boyle Scholar Chamber Connection: Dorchester County Health Department Emily is a 2022 graduate of Cambridge South Dorchester High School and is a 2024 graduate of Chesapeake College where she completed her associate degree. Emily will attend the University of Maryland in the fall and will major in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.

Scholarship Qualifications
 
The objective of the Foundation Scholarship Program is to further each recipient's education at a certified college, professional, technical, vocational, or business school that will result in enhancing the recipient's ability to have a positive impact on the Dorchester County Business Community.  The award is $1,000 a year for up to four years of study.
 
Candidates to be considered will meet the following: 

• The applicant is a Member of the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce or an employee of a Member of the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce – or – a parent or a grandparent is a Member of the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce or an employee of a Member of the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce.  The Chamber Member must be a full-member and in good standing for at least a year prior to the candidate applying for the scholarship.
• Applicant is Dorchester County resident that plans to stay in, or return to, Dorchester County once their studies are complete.
• Applicant will be 16 - 21 years of age.
• Applicant may already be enrolled in the program at time of application.
• Applicant will consistently have demonstrated the following qualities in school, in the community, or on the job: Student should possess a good attitude, excellent attendance record, enthusiasm, reliability, punctuality, community involvement, a good work ethic, and a successful academic record. 

Scholarship awards may be applied to either in-state or out-of-state tuition and fees. Awards are paid directly to the institutions. Scholarship recipients must request the award annually by providing evidence to the Chamber of having maintained a 2.0 GPA or equivalent and still maintaining commitment to Dorchester County. Scholarship payments will end after full awarded amount is delivered, or if the recipient discontinues the program at any time.

Scholarship History
In October of 2000, the first Board Meeting for the Dorchester Chamber Foundation was held. The stated goal was to support the school systems of Dorchester County and support the education programs that would benefit the residents and businesses in the County. In 2003 the Dorchester Chamber Foundation received 501(c)3 status allowing for donations to the Foundation to be tax deductible.  The scholarship was established to provide additional educational funding for family members of Dorchester Chamber of Commerce members that were pursuing degrees in Business.

In 2016 the Board of Directors revised the guidelines for the scholarship to expand the targeted recipients to include anyone pursuing education in a certified program and planning to return to Dorchester County to work once their studies are complete.  Also, in 2016 the Dorchester Chamber Foundation received grants from the George B Todd Fund, the Care & Share Fund of Dorchester County and Koski Enterprises Inc. to expand the number of scholarships offered. 

In 2019 we offered the first Richard L. Nagel Scholarship.  It is awarded to a student that plans to become an educator in Dorchester County.  In 2020 we offered the first Gerry Boyle Scholarship in of honor Gerry who worked tirelessly to get the program expanded starting in 2016 until his death in 2019.

The Dorchester Chamber Foundation has received significant grants from the George B. Todd Fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, Koski Enterprises, McDonalds, The Nagel Family, Crescent Cities Charities, the Care & Share Fund of Dorchester, and several donors who chose to remain anonymous.

The Foundation has awarded over $230,000 in scholarships since 2016.

In 2025 we will be offering the following Scholarships:
Jason T. Wise