LSC-Tomball Candace Grace Howard Memorial Vet Tech Scholarship Named an Endowment in Just 18 Months
The Candace Grace Howard Memorial Scholarship at Lone Star College-Tomball has qualified as an endowment in record time, which is a testimony to the "wonderful person my daughter was and the importance of this scholarship to the community and the college," says Howard's father, Bill.
Candace, a beloved daughter and friend, was a first-year veterinary technology student at LSC-Tomball in 2006 when she died suddenly as a result of an all-terrain vehicle accident shocking her family, Tomball College classmates and faculty.
"It was devastating to us all," says Director of the LSC-Tomball Veterinary Technology program Doctor of Veterinary Medicine George W. Younger. "Although she was only in her second semester she made an incredible impact - one so great that her classmates in the Vet Tech Student Organization initially raised more than $5,000 to create a memorial scholarship in her honor."
Younger and the VTSO had hoped that they would be able to raise the $15,000 necessary to meet the Lone Star College System's criteria for an endowment within the seven years they were given. But they achieved their goal in just 18 months, which is the shortest period of time to reach any endowment for LSC-Tomball.
"The love for Candace and the generosity of our students, graduates and area veterinarians and hospitals, as well as the community at large, has made this dream a reality," says Dr. Younger. "Candace's memory will live on while also providing an opportunity for our students to achieve their educational dreams and career goals."
A native of Tomball, Candace attended Tomball High School, was a life-long fast pitch softball player, and was a devoted Aggie, says Bill. An avid horse rider, Candace "never met an animal she didn't like which is why she was drawn to the vet tech program."
To be able to develop such strong bonds with people takes "a really special person and Candace was that person," says Bill. "She was a very religious young lady and put Jesus at the top of her list and I think because of that she touched a lot of lives."
Chanda Shelton, now in her final semester of the vet tech program, was the first recipient of the Candace Grace Howard Memorial Scholarship in 2007 and says Candace's memory certainly touched her life.
"It was an extreme honor to be the first person chosen for the scholarship," says Shelton. "In addition to the financial help it provided me, it was comforting to know that I was a part of something very special."
This year's recipient will be named at the 20th Annual Veterinary Technology Spring Continuing Education Symposium to be held Saturday, April 19, at the Elmer Beckendorf Conference Center at Lone Star College-Tomball.
The scholarship currently funds $1,000 a year to first-year vet tech students and once funds raised exceed $30,000, will begin funding $2,000 in scholarships annually, says Younger.
To be considered for a scholarship from the Candace Grace Howard Memorial Endowment, applicants must be admitted to LSC-Tomball and be a first-year student enrolled in the veterinary technology program; have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher; be a United States citizen; and plan on establishing a career as a registered veterinary technician (RVT).
For information on how to apply for a scholarship, visit the Lone Star College-Tomball website at http://tomball.lonestar.edu/, or call the financial aid office: (281) 351.3300.
To donate, please make checks payable to: The Candace Howard Memorial Endowment-Lone Star College System Foundation, 5000 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, Texas, 77381-4399. Payments may also be made in person or sent in care of: Kathleen Diamond, RVT, LSC-Tomball Veterinary Technology Program, 30555 Tomball Parkway, Tomball, Texas, 77375. For more information, please call (281) 351-3358.
Lone Star College-Tomball is located at 30555 Tomball Parkway in Tomball, Texas.
The Lone Star College System consists of five colleges, including Cy-Fair, Kingwood, Montgomery, North Harris, and Tomball, six centers and Lone Star College-University Center. With 49,250 students, it is the largest college in the Houston area, and third largest community college district in Texas. To learn more, visit www.lonestar.edu.