Area students awarded $20K Heller scholarships

TRAVELERS REST, S.C. — Furman University has awarded $20,000 scholarships to two area students for the 2015-16 academic year.

Established in fall 2012, the Heller Community Scholarship — designed to encourage talented local students to remain in the area and strengthen their commitment to the Upstate — is available yearly to one student at each of the 18 Greenville County high schools.

This year, students from 14 of the 18 schools showed intent to attend Furman, and the scholarship recipients for 2015-16 include students from 12 public high schools, one charter school, and the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities.

The scholarships are awarded based on the recommendation of the student’s high school administration, commitment to attending Furman, and evidence of admissibility to Furman’s undergraduate program. The scholarships are renewable for four years provided the student remains in good academic standing with the university.

Area recipients are:

• Hezekiah Cooper (Travelers Rest High School): Cooper, a Greenville resident who plans to major in economics, is the son of Wyndel and Amanda Cooper.

• Sarah Livingston (Blue Ridge High School): Livingston, of Taylors, plans to study music at Furman. She is the daughter of Robert and Susan Livingston.

The Heller Community Scholarship is named in honor of the late Max Heller, former mayor of Greenville and Furman trustee who was well known for his exemplary work in the Greenville community, and whose life was a monument to leadership, education, mentorship and a passion for learning.