Roane State Community College Press Release:
More Cumberland County students will have the opportunity to pursue a college education thanks to the continued generosity of the Fairfield Glade Ladies Club (FGLC), whose latest donation has pushed its lifetime support of Roane State students beyond $178,000.
The club recently contributed more than $23,000 to Roane State Foundation, funding scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year and helping students overcome financial barriers while pursuing their educational goals.
The FGLC scholarship program began nearly 50 years ago in 1977. In 2012, it was renamed the “Fairfield Glade Pam Biggs Scholarship” to honor a dedicated club member who deeply believed in improving lives in Cumberland County and continued her extensive volunteer work towards this endeavor even while facing a terminal illness.
This year’s funding is split between two critical student demographics: non-traditional and middle college students. Much of the donation supports 13 adult learners who have returned to school or are planning to change careers. The remaining funds support four local high school juniors and seniors concurrently earning their high school diplomas and associate degrees.
The financial relief arrives at a pivotal time for the Cumberland County campus, which opened a new health science wing in 2024 to host its very first cohort of nursing students. Some of those first nursing cohort students are now set to graduate as the program continues to grow.
“Education is a team effort,” said Oscar Pepe Perron, Roane State Foundation board member and key donor for the Cumberland campus expansion. “The incredible milestone achieved by the Fairfield Glade Ladies Club shows exactly what happens when a community invests directly in its youth, its non-traditional learners, and its future health professionals.”
“Partnering with Roane State Foundation allows the FGLC to provide vital financial relief to both non-traditional students reclaiming their career paths and ambitious Middle College students getting a head start on their degrees,” Scholarship Committee Chair Colleen Mall added. “It is an absolute joy to watch these local students thrive and to know our club is making a lasting impact in Cumberland County.”
Roane State administrators said FGLC members have cultivated a deep understanding of the college’s mission, and their enduring generosity has turned the club into one of the college’s most reliable pillars of support.
“Partnerships like this are critical to making college accessible to all,” Roane State President Chris Whaley explained. “Without the continued support of the Fairfield Glade Ladies Club, we know some of our students would not have been able to reach their educational goals. This latest donation is allowing us to serve even more students in Cumberland County.”
Fairfield Glade Ladies Club is a philanthropic organization, supporting local communities by providing scholarships to area students, being active in civic, social, and moral welfare, and promoting friendship and fellowship for the Fairfield Glade area. Additional information on their efforts is available online at fgladiesclub.com.
For information on how to support Roane State students in Cumberland County and across the college’s service area, visit roanestate.edu/foundation.
Photo (L-R): JoRene Finnell, Roane State Foundation Student Aid Specialist; Jonathan Schoolcraft, Roane State Director of Middle College; Pepe Perron, Roane State Foundation Board Member; Kathy Wheale, Fairfield Glade Ladies Club Scholarship Committee; Dewayne McGhee, Roane State Director of Cumberland County Campus.