This year’s Invitational produced $209,739 for student scholarships and program and facility enhancements for the College. Funds came from golf and pickleball tournaments, Invitational sponsors, silent and live auctions, and a 50/50 drawing.
“For decades, this Invitational has helped raise critical support for Wayne Community College, and we could not do it without you,” Kannan said to the supporters. “You might not see all the lives that you are changing, but you are making a real difference.”
WCC graduates Michael Lane and Joshua Williams also spoke at the dinner and live auction, allowing donors to hear directly from two individuals whose lives have been impacted by their generosity.
Lane said he always wanted to become an engineer, but the cost of college made his dream feel out of reach.
When Lane learned that he was eligible to receive the Foundation of WCC’s Bison Benefit Scholarship, which provides dual-enrolled high school students with four semesters of free tuition to WCC once they graduate from high school, he decided to attend WCC, a decision he is proud to have made.
Lane graduated from WCC with an Associate in Science degree and was recently named a Goodnight Transfer Scholar, receiving a full-tuition scholarship to North Carolina State University, where he will study electrical engineering. “You all have made my future possible,” Lane said to the donors.
Williams worked as a truck driver until a trucking accident caused him to reevaluate his plans, leading him to WCC. “Wayne Community College became the starting point of a dream I didn’t know was possible,” he said. “It was there that I discovered my passion for engineering and began building my future.”
Williams said the Foundation of WCC made a “life-changing difference” for him through its financial support. He graduated from WCC, attended East Carolina University, and now works as an electrical engineer.
“When I received a scholarship, I didn’t just receive financial assistance; I received a vote of confidence from someone who believed my future was worth investing in,” Williams told the donors. “Thank you for believing in my education.”
The Invitational was founded in 1993 by Dillon Wooten of Wooten Development Company. It remains the most successful golf tournament in the North Carolina Community College System.
Over 100 businesses and individuals sponsored this year’s tournament at various financial levels, and others donated auction items.
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