$2 million scholarship commitment offers instant impact

Posted on September 28, 2020

Photo of the Sloans on campus
Photo of the Sloans on campus
Linda Fisher Sloan ’82 MFA and Thomas R. Sloan

“This scholarship means so much to me,” said Raven Sizemore. “It’s the difference between going to UNCG or not going at all.”

Raven, a first-year UNC Greensboro undergraduate from Randleman, North Carolina, is the inaugural recipient of the Sloan Endowed Scholarship. The new scholarship program at UNCG provides full support for students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and financial need.

“What this scholarship will do is let me graduate from UNCG without any significant debt,” Raven said. “When I was looking at schools I came here and met Professor Randy Kohlenberg, and he was so welcoming and seemed to really understand my interests. I felt a connection right away and knew this was the place for me. Now, with this scholarship, I’ll be able to pursue my dream of a degree in music, and then go on to get a master’s degree so I can become a music teacher.”

Photo of student holding trombone on campus
Sloan Scholar Raven Sizemore

Endowed by Linda Fisher Sloan ’82 MFA and Thomas R. Sloan, the $2 million commitment will eventually sustain two Sloan Scholars per class for study at the University. The Sloan Scholarships will cover tuition and all the costs of attendance at UNCG for these students, as well as provide support for high-impact opportunities such as a study-abroad experience, service learning, or internships. Students receiving the scholarship are free to pursue any field of study offered at UNCG.

The Sloan Scholarships are part of UNCG’s Minerva Scholars program and are administered through the University’s Lloyd International Honors College.

“Linda and I feel very fortunate to be able to make this scholarship gift,” said Tom Sloan. “It is recipients like Raven who have the potential to make an impact in this life. We are honored to be a part of encouraging her success.”

Greensboro residents, the Sloans are long-time supporters of UNCG as well as many other Greensboro-area nonprofits. In addition to the many awards they have received for their work in the community, they recently received the Outstanding Philanthropist Award for Greensboro from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Triad Chapter. Linda Sloan is a current UNCG Board of Trustees member, a member of UNCG’s College of Visual and Performing Arts Board of Visitors, and a former adjunct lecturer in the Bryan School of Business and Economics. She earned her MFA in drama from UNCG in 1982. Tom Sloan served as a member of UNCG’s Board of Trustees for nine years, including a stint as its chair, and has served on the University Investment Fund Board.

“This is not simply a donation to our University, but rather an investment in our shared future,” said Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. “While they have clearly been incredibly gracious supporters of UNCG, Tom and Linda really stand out for their giving across the entire Greensboro community. They know how to make a meaningful, real-world impact with philanthropy, and we are grateful for their steadfast, incredibly generous support. So many students will be able to access a university education, pursue academic excellence, and make positive contributions to our society thanks to this powerful gift.”

For Sizemore, that access began this August as she started her classes at UNCG.

“I have worked so hard to get here,” she said. “I am so excited now to pursue this dream, and so grateful this scholarship gives me that opportunity. It has made all the difference for me.”

Story by David Pesci, University Advancement
Photography by Martin W. Kane, University Communications

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