Sanderson Donates $50,000 to DSCC Foundation
Charles W. “Bill” Sanderson, owner of White Squirrel Winery in Kenton, presented a check to Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) President Karen Bowyer on October 12 in the amount of $50,000. The endowed scholarship will be named the Bill Sanderson Agriculture Scholarship, which will provide financial assistance to DSCC students majoring in an agricultural-related field such as Agricultural Business, Agriculture Plant and Soil Science, or Biology. If by chance, in the future, there is no student majoring in Agriculture then the scholarship may be awarded to a resident of Kenton, Tennessee. The DSCC Foundation Board of Directors has chosen Brown Advisory to invest and manage the endowment funds. The Investment Sub-Committee of the Executive Committee of the DSCC Foundation Board of Directors has frequent meetings with Brown Advisory to review investment and earning reports.
Sanderson said he wanted to give back to his community by proving scholarships for students majoring in agriculture at DSCC. He has the hope that more students will become interested in growing specialty crops like grapes to supply the developing wine industry in northwest Tennessee.
Dr. Karen Bowyer stated, “Bill and I have worked together since 2017 to develop the agriculture program at DSCC with the plan for it to promote the growing of specialty crops such as grapes by local farmers. With more grape production the wine industry in this region will continue to develop which in turn will increase tourism and job opportunities.”
Sanderson and his wife, Marjie, owns and operates White Squirrel Winery in his West Tennessee hometown of Kenton. Under his direction, three generations of Sanderson’s oversee the production and maintenance of the family vineyard. White Squirrel is best known for its success with “Enchantment” and “Opportunity” grape varieties developed at the University of Arkansas Fruit Research Station through the University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture. Because of its dedication to research and continuing education, White Squirrel is the largest producer in the world of these two new cultivars. White Squirrel has 20-acres of grapes and produces over 50 tons of grapes that it ships, processes, and ferments into various wines.
Sanderson graduated from Kenton High School and earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Lambuth University. He was elected to the Tennessee General Assembly for five terms, serving Dyer, Lake, and Obion counties. Sanderson and his wife, Marjie, live in Kenton. He has three children and one grandchild.
Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLIGxUJQCRY to watch the video and learn more about the Bill Sanderson Agriculture Scholarship.