TBR & DSCC Present Local Philanthropists with Chancellor's Awards
The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) and Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) recognized philanthropy award winners and naming recipients for 2020 and 2021 during a recognition dinner held June 3. The event was held at the Student Center on the Dyersburg campus.
Dr. Karen Bowyer, president of DSCC, recognized the Donner family for the recent naming of The Donner Family Nursing Simulation Lab located inside the Dale F. Glover Education Building. In addition, she recognized Jack Todd for the recent naming of the Hugh M. “Jack” Todd Nursing Lecture Room, also located in the Dale F. Glover Education Building.
The Donner Family Nursing Simulation Lab is named in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Richard (Dick) E. Donner and in honor of their son, Richard W. Donner. Their commitment to higher education has established the Dick and Martha Donner Endowed Scholarship Fund and The Martha W. Donner Outdoor Classroom. The Donner family has also supported the Richard H. Wheeler Scholarship and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra performances at the College. Both father (Dick) and son (Richard) served as Foundation Board members, trusted advisors, and generous benefactors.
The Hugh M. “Jack” Todd Nursing Lecture Room is named in honor of Jack Todd. Todd has been a faithful and generous supporter of the College since 1985. He is a Charter member of the Dyersburg State Foundation Board, which was chartered in 1988. During his tenure on the Board, he served on various Foundation Board committees and served as Vice-Chair of the Foundation Board from 1989-1999 and Chair of the Foundation Board from 1999-2000. He has also been a member of the Annual Fund Steering Committee since its beginning in 1985, and chaired the Annual Fund Committee in 1992-93. Todd is a native of Dyersburg, a graduate of Dyersburg High School and Georgia Tech. He was associated with Dyersburg Fabrics from 1950 until 1995, when he retired as Chairman of the Board.
Presenting philanthropy awards on behalf of TBR were Regent Nisha Powers, TBR 8th Congressional District, and Cris Perkins, TBR assistant vice chancellor for strategic advancement. Accepting the 2020 TBR Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy was Senator Paul Rose, on behalf of Rose Companies.
Rose Companies has contributed to the DSCC Annual Fund since 1995. In 2003, Senator Rose and his associates in Rose Integrated Services, Inc. established the Coy and Jeanette Rose Scholarship in honor of the parents of Paul and Allan Rose. In 1953, Coy W. Rose and his father, Bill Rose, founded Rose Iron Works - which grew into the current Rose Integrated Services, Inc. Rose Integrated Services has a rich history based upon family values and a strong work ethic. In keeping with these values, this scholarship was established to be awarded to an employee or employee’s family member from Tipton County to attend DSCC.
Senator Rose actively serves his community as well as the College. He serves on the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of the Hatchie River Region, and the DSCC Foundation Board. Senator Rose has served on the DSCC Foundation Board of Directors since 2002, and was Chair of the Board from 2014-2017. In 2019, he was elected to represent Tennessee’s 32nd Senate District.
The generous support and contributions from Senator Rose and his associates in Rose Companies reflect their commitment to educating our workforce and building our local communities.
Accepting the 2021 TBR Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy were Martha Brasfield and Sara Brasfield Carter on behalf of The Duke Brasfield Family. The Brasfield’s have contributed to the DSCC Annual Fund since 2002, and awarded more than 63 scholarships to deserving students since 2012. In 2012, the Duke Brasfield Memorial Endowed Scholarship was established by the Board of Directors of Patriot Bank, of which Brasfield was a member, to fund scholarships for Tipton County students attending the Jimmy Naifeh Center (JNC) at Tipton County. Brasfield was a member of the Tipton County Education Task Force that spearheaded the acquisition of the 112-acre site that is now the home of the JNC. He served on the DSCC Foundation Board, the DSCC Annual Fund Campaign Committee, the DSCC Foundation Executive Committee and the Investment Subcommittee. Duke and Martha’s son, Charles Brasfield, has served on the DSCC Foundation Board of Directors since 2016, and their daughter, Sara Brasfield Carter, has worked with the DSCC Annual Fund Campaign. Martha Brasfield supports various fundraising efforts, such as the Foundation’s Leaving a Legacy for Learning.
Accepting the 2021 TBR Regents’ Award for Excellence in Philanthropy was John Ford, on behalf of The Ford Family. The Ford family has contributed to the DSCC Annual Fund since 1986 and has awarded more than 131 scholarships to deserving students since 1988. Ford’s services on both the DSCC Foundation Board and the Annual Fund Campaign Committee spans more than 21 years. Ford Construction Company has been funding scholarships from its locally-owned business since 1988. The Company awards an annual scholarship in memory of Charles F. Moore to a full-time student majoring in accounting. The Ford family and Ford Construction Company have established an endowed scholarship in memory of William Kent Ford.