Jessica Allen| Assistant Sports Editor
Four UVU students were honored at the Forgotten Carols event held at the UCCU center Nov. 30. The evening included a meal for approximately 80 attendees and then VIP seating at the musical performance held right after.
The Forgotten Carols Scholarship is open to those students who maintain a 3.0 GPA, are a resident of Utah and enrolled full time at UVU. Students apply for the scholarship by submitting an essay to tell their story and by demonstrating a great financial need.
Michael McLean, who established the scholarship in 2010, arrived at the dinner and proceeded to greet each and every attendee individually.
“Michael came in at about 5:45 and began meeting and greeting everyone. He is so gracious and warm. People immediately began feeling the magic of the evening,” said Toni Harris, assistant dean of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Culinary arts student Dardree McClellan and rhetoric student Liz Jarrard were two of the four of this year’s recipients that proved they were willing to do what it took to overcome their circumstances and commit to excellence at UVU.
McClellan returned to UVU at the age of 51 to finish the college career she had started over two decades ago. McClellan is the mother of 8 children, four of whom are currently in college as well.
“It’s given me confidence that I can do this,” McClellan said. “It’s been amazing. I’ve learned so many things.”
She said her kids have had to teach her several things, like how to do more on the computer, but it’s been great to have so much support from family and fellow classmates.
Jarrard received the scholarship to finish her degree at age 36.
“I am a single mom of three children and have been trying to finish on and off for years between children, marriage, divorce, buying houses, selling houses, kids and work,” said Jarrard.
A couple years ago, Jarrard found herself incurring so much student debt she felt she’d never get her degree done. She sees this scholarship as an opportunity to finish her degree faster and start earning more money after college.
Although the final numbers aren’t tallied, Harris believes the event brought in $4,000-$5,000 that will be added to the fund to continue the scholarship.
During the event each recipient took a moment and expressed their gratitude to the audience and spoke about what they hope to accomplish with their degrees, and what the scholarship funding meant to them.
“That’s my favorite part of the evening,” Harris said. “The assistance, regardless of how much they receive, is always so meaningful to them.”
