Gonzales, LA - River Parishes Community College (RPCC) Foundation announced that 64 students representing 15 parishes were awarded a total of $162,875 in scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year.

These scholarships were awarded through the RPCC Foundation which has a mission to sustain the development of RPCC by attracting philanthropy and engaging in advocacy and strategic partnerships to advance the college and benefit the students it serves.  Business and industry partners along with philanthropic individuals including the RPCC faculty and staff, fund these scholarships either through endowments or annual giving.  Several of the endowed scholarships received matching funds from the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Students and the scholarship donors were recognized at the First Annual Rougarou Awards Breakfast on August 12, 2022, at the Clarion Inn, Gonzales, LA.  Event sponsors included DOW, Ascension Credit Union, East Iberville INC, and Greenfield, LA, BASF, Koch Methanol St. James, CF Industries and Nutrien.

“We are all so proud of our awardees and hope that their scholarships will make their educational journey just a bit easier,” RPCC Foundation Director Lillie Murphy said. “We are also humbled by the outpouring of support from our partners and donors who not only fund these scholarships but take a personal interest in the awardees’ success and future.  It was wonderful to see the students and donors share a meal and talk about mentoring, internships, and even future employment.”

RPCC Foundation Board Chairwoman, Beryl Smith presided over the event and Interim Chancellor Quintin Taylor served as the Keynote Speaker and awarded the scholarships while Foundation Officers Lisa Bacala and Dale Hymel announced the awardees.  Additionally, the RPCC Faculty and Staff CARES (named for RPCC values of Collaboration, Accountability, Respect & Inclusion, Excellence, and Sustainability) awardees were recognized including those present for the event Dr. Esperanza Zenon, Physical Science Instructor, and Dr. Julie Sullivan, Education Instructor.

Scholarships awarded:

ACE Pipeline Scholarship in Industrial Trades:

D’marius Aikens, Process Technology, Prairieville

Allied Health Scholarship (The Louisiana Board of Regents provided matching funds through the Endowed Two-Year Student Workforce Scholarships Subprogram:

Jade Blackmon, Practical Nursing, Walker  

Elizabeth Floyd, Practical Nursing, Gonzales 

Ascension Credit Union Scholarship for Business Office and Business Office Administration Majors:

Sandra Crawford, Associates of Arts Louisiana Transfer, Business Track, Geismar

Kelli Moore, Business Office Administration, St. Amant

BASF Scholarship in Industrial Trades:

Jordan Goodlow, Process Technology, Gonzales

Wren Parsiola, Instrumentation Technology, Prairieville

Felicia Tate, Instrumentation Technology, Prairieville $1,500

CF Industries:

Michelle Bell, Business Office Administration, Donaldsonville, LA

Ashley Cheatham, Associates of Science, Louisiana Transfer, Donaldsonville, LA

LaRhonda Henderson, Practical Nursing, Donaldsonville, LA

Trevon Mitchell, Process Technology, Donaldsonville, LA

Darius Shepherd, Process Technology, Donaldsonville, LA

Jason Spurlock, Process Technology, Donaldsonville, LA

David J. Villarrubia Memorial Scholarship:

Adam Bourgeois, Instrumentation Technology, Schriever, LA

East Iberville INC Scholarship for residents of eastern Iberville parish and/or EII Sponsored PTEC1010 completers:

Jarvis Hasten, Process Technology, St. Gabriel, LA

Tameshia Hayden, Process Technology, Baton Rouge, LA

Sharon Jones, Process Technology, Baton Rouge, LA

Everett Scott Memorial Scholarship:

Felicia Tate, Instrumentation Technology, Prairieville $1,000

EVONIK Scholarship in Industrial Trades for residents of St. John the Baptist parish:

Jere Collins, Process Technology, Reserve, LA

Tre’Jun Lennix, Process Technology, Reserve, LA

Greenfield Louisiana Scholarship for residents of St. John the Baptist parish:

Tyrin Anderson, Process Technology, LaPlace, LA

Jaron Minor, Industrial Maintenance, LaPlace, LA

Hancock Whitney / Ruth Scanlan Scholarship for First Generation Students (The Louisiana Board of Regents provided matching funds through the Endowed First-Generation Scholarships Subprogram:

Terron Potter, General Studies, Maurepas, LA

Hunter Lambert Memorial Scholarship for Single Parents and/or Children of Single Parents:

Laura Pennington, Business Office Administration, Sorrento, LA

Koch Methanol St. James Scholarship in Industrial Trades for a 2022 High School Graduate from St. James Parish:

Jayden Dumas, Instrumentation, Convent, LA

Koch Methanol St. James Scholarship in Industrial Trades for Adult Learners:

Dakota Harness, Process Technology, Paulina, LA

Nashia Lucas, Process Technology, Convent, LA

Lambert Family / Curt Eysink Scholarship for Allied Health Majors who have been impacted by cancer (The Louisiana Board of Regents provided matching funds through the Endowed Two-Year Student Workforce Scholarships Subprogram:

Fredricka August, Medical Assisting, LaPlace, LA

Deshaunnisha Broden, Associates of Science, Louisiana Transfer, St. James, LA

Archell Jacobs, Practical Nursing, Gonzales, LA

Tamara Vessel, Associates of Science, Louisiana Transfer, Port Allen, LA

Louisiana Construction Education Foundation Scholarship for a 2022 high school graduate earning a JumpStart diploma and majoring in a construction field (The Louisiana Board of Regents provided matching funds through the Endowed Two-Year Student Workforce Scholarships Subprogram: 

Owen Gardebled, Instrumentation Technology, Destrehan, LA

Marathon Petroleum Scholarship for PTEC Majors from St. John the Baptist Parish:

Jere Collins, Process Technology, Reserve, LA

Trenecia Edwards, Process Technology, Edgard, LA

Tre-Jun Lennix, Process Technology, Reserve, LA

NOVA Chemicals Scholarship for students majoring in the industrial fields (The Louisiana Board of Regents provided matching funds through the Endowed Two-Year Student Workforce Scholarships Subprogram:

Keila Checo Castro, Process Technology, Kenner, LA

Koty Lundy, Process Technology, Livingston, LA

Rafe Matherne, Process Technology, Houma, LA

Nutrien Scholarship for students majoring in the industrial fields:

Byron Clark, Process Technology, St. Gabriel, LA

Tyler McCarthy, Process Technology, St. Amant, LA

Allen Thibodaux, Process Technology, Gonzales, LA

Mikel White, Process Technology, Gonzales, LA

RPCC CARES Scholarships for a student from each campus exemplifying the RPCC Values:

Gonzales Campus:  Aiden LeBlanc, Business Office Administration, Gonzales, LA

Reserve Campus:  Abieyusa Airhuoyo, Patient Care Technician, LaPlace, LA

United Way of St. Charles Campus:  Jacob Dufrene, Instrumentation Technology, Luling, LA

Westside Campus:  Kasie Wagner, Process Technology, Independence, LA

Systems Administration:  Rekha Braud, Systems Administration, Gonzales, LA

RUBICON R.E.A.L. (Rubicon Empowering Adult Learners) Scholarship:

Ashley Landry, Process Technology, Luling, LA

Erin Valentine, Process Technology, Gonzales, LA

Solomon Acy Endowed Scholarship:

Baillee Glenn, Associates of Arts, Livingston, LA  Louisiana Transfer

Ketoryia Darjean, Practical Nursing, Gonzales, LA

John Dupre, Process Technology, Bayou Pigeon, LA

Wren Parsiola, Instrumentation Technology, Prairieville, LA

Shawn Satterfield, Associates of Science in Teaching, Prairieville, LA

United Way of St. Charles Scholarship for Residents of St. Charles Parish:

Benjamin Spears, Process Technology, Norco, LA

RPCC Foundation Scholarships:

Adam Bourgeois, Instrumentation Technology, Schriever, LA

Caleb Cortez, Instrumentation Technology, Thibodaux, LA

Owen Gardebled, Instrumentation Technology, Destrehan, LA

Jahlil Houston, Process Technology, Metairie, LA

Trevor Johnson, Instrumentation Technology, Livingston, LA

Deltra Jones, Medical Coding, Baton Rouge, LA

Riley Mathis, General Studies, Prairieville, LA

Laylen McComack, Instrumentation Technology, Paulina, LA

Daniel Rome, Process Technology, Marrero, LA

Isabella Schexnayder, General Studies, Sorrento, LA

Philip Simmons, Instrumentation Technology, Thibodaux, LA

Chelsey Staes, Practical Nursing, Jefferson, LA

Lakeisha Whitmore, Business Office Administration, Gonzales, LA

If you are interested in providing scholarships to RPCC students, contact Lillie Murphy at [email protected] or visit us at rpcc.edu!