News and Updates

“Having the Clearinghouse make a charitable contribution in honor of service is a wonderful tradition,” said Dr. A. Hope Williams, President of NCICU. “I deeply appreciate this generous gift, which I have directed to the scholarship fund in memory of my parents. As I grew up, they instilled in me a recognition of the importance and value of higher education, and it is meaningful to me to celebrate their legacy by helping make college possible for other students. Ultimately, this donation is about helping students attending our independent colleges and universities who will help strengthen North Carolina’s communities and the workforce.”

The Newberry and Kathleen Cooke Williams Scholarship Fund is one of many scholarships raised by the Independent College Fund to provide financial assistance to students. NCICU’s 36 colleges and universities collectively enroll more than 83,000 students and produce roughly one in four of North Carolina’s bachelor’s degree graduates and one in three of North Carolina’s graduate and professional degrees, ensuring a steady pipeline of talent for the state’s workforce including 60% of the medical degrees, 65% of the law degrees, 89% of physician assistant degrees and 56% of the pharmacy degrees. Graduates of these institutions make significant contributions to North Carolina’s economy and communities, underscoring the importance of supporting student success in the independent higher education sector. Collectively, these institutions have an estimated annual economic impact of $14.2 billion and employ over 66,000 North Carolinians, playing a central role in the state’s education pipeline and economic future.

“We are thrilled to receive this $16,000 gift in honor of Dr. Williams’ service,” said Colleen Kinser, Director of ICFNC. “This donation to the Newberry and Kathleen Cooke Williams Scholarship Fund will directly benefit students at NCICU colleges and universities, opening doors of opportunity for those who need it most. Dr. Williams has always championed our students, and we thank the National Student Clearinghouse for honoring her in such a fitting way – by investing in the future of North Carolina’s leaders.”