Million Dollar Milestone 

VMDAEC scholarship foundation changes lives and makes communities better

November-December 2024

by Laura Emery, Staff Writer

Empowering communities involves more than just providing electricity; Virginia, Maryland and Delaware’s electric cooperatives embrace this concept.

In July 2003, the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives’ Education Scholarship Foundation was incorporated. The goal was to invest in communities served by electric cooperatives by enabling local youth to pursue their academic dreams by awarding them educational scholarships.

“Some visionary co-op leaders, led by Worth Hudson [a Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative board member at the time], created the Foundation,” explains Richard G. Johnstone Jr., retired CEO of VMDAEC. “Creating the Foundation fulfilled two historic co-op principles, one calling for co-ops to support the communities we serve, the other to support education and training for our members.”

Twenty-one years later, the Foundation is marking a powerful million-dollar milestone. The Foundation recently awarded its millionth dollar in scholarship money, making a difference in the lives of 1,162 students across the tri-state area.

The Foundation is funded through tax-deductible donations and bequests, as well as proceeds from fundraising events. Sam Brumberg, vice president of the Foundation since 2017, says, “Our story is about thousands of donors — co-op member-consumers — coming together and making small donations that add up for a greater purpose.”

It’s a story that parallels the founding purpose of electric cooperatives, where rural residents — neighbors — joined together and pooled their resources to create nonprofit cooperatives in the late 1930s to build electrical systems in rural areas.

“The Education Scholarship Foundation has afforded opportunities to over a thousand students thanks to the spirit of collective action that is embodied by the electric cooperatives,” Brumberg explains. “These students were touched by the everyday miracles of their electric cooperatives — and many went on to become heroes that we depend on every day in our communities.”

ELLA LEWIS

Heroes like Ella Lewis, a 2022 scholarship recipient, who is now a junior at Virginia Tech studying biological systems engineering. Lewis has taken part in two summer research fellowships, funded by the USDA, studying natural solutions to water pollution.

“As part of these programs, I was paid to travel abroad (including Paris, France), give poster presentations and participate in hands-on field work,” Lewis explains. “Thanks to the VMDAEC Foundation scholarship funds, I’m able to enjoy all the things in and outside of my course work without financial stress.”

GRACIE GOODPASTURE

Gracie Goodpasture’s educational journey took her all the way to Aberystwyth, Wales, in the summer of 2022. The former scholarship recipient graduated from Roanoke College in 2023 with a double major in biology and Spanish. While at Roanoke College, she was awarded a Summer Fulbright Scholarship to study at the University of Aberystwyth.

During her senior year at Roanoke College, Goodpasture earned an internship with Boston Scientific in its cardiac rhythm division. “This internship led to a full-time job with Boston Scientific. I am the device representative in the operating room, working in Richmond- and Roanoke-area hospitals,” she says. “Thanks to the Education Scholarship Foundation for directly helping me achieve my goal of working in electrophysiology. I am forever grateful.”

NATALIE FLESHMAN

In 2019, Natalie Fleshman was awarded a Foundation scholarship. She attended Virginia Tech and studied interior design with a minor in Italian, and then graduated in May of 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. Fleshman then studied for her master’s degree in Florence, Italy, at the Florence Institute of Design International. She says, “There, I was able to refine my design skills and vision through studying finer details, such as lighting and furniture design. The scholarship I received was instrumental.”

KENDRA OLIVER

Former scholarship recipient Kendra Oliver loved pretending to be a teacher as a child. She says, “I’ve known that I wanted to be a teacher since I was five years old. I love being a role model and helping young people become more successful in life.”

Oliver, a 2023 James Madison University graduate, is now living out her purpose in the classroom. “I currently teach social studies at William Monroe Middle School in Green County, Va.,” the Rappahannock Electric Cooperative member says. She expresses gratitude to the Foundation for the opportunity to receive a scholarship.

RINA DIRICKSON

A misdiagnosis changed the course of former scholarship recipient Rina Dirickson’s life. “I was misdiagnosed with epilepsy and that experience, combined with my faith in God, led me into the field of research,” she says. Dirickson is a sophomore at Johns Hopkins University with a double major in neuroscience and biophysics.

“During the summer of 2024, I had the opportunity to work under Dr. Sridevi Sarma on research that will hopefully make the diagnosis of psychogenic non-epileptic attacks more accurate and less likely to be misdiagnosed as epilepsy,” she explains.

Dirickson says she wouldn’t be where she is now if it weren’t for the scholarship. “I cannot wait to see what the next three years will bring,” she says.

PRIYANKA PATEL

Priyanka Patel, a 2023 scholarship recipient, is involved in cancer research while attending Virginia Commonwealth University, where she majors in chemistry. “Since receiving the scholarship, I’ve been able to engage in a variety of activities to supplement my higher education,” she says. “Currently, I am doing various cancer research studies in both the Department of Biochemistry at VCU’s School of Medicine and in the VCU Health Massey Cancer Center.”

Patel used some of the scholarship money toward her National Emergency Medical Technician Certification, which helped her get a job at VCU Health Trauma Center. “I am so grateful to VMDAEC for enabling me to partake in these activities and simultaneously pursue my higher education,” she says.

GARRETT WEBB

Garrett Webb used his scholarship to attend Southside Virginia Community College’s Power Line Worker Training School. “During my time at SVCC, I made some friends and I learned from some very outstanding instructors that taught me the fundamentals, good techniques and essential information for a career in linework,” he says. Of the 1,162 students awarded scholarships, 91 used their scholarships for lineworker training.

“Seeing our scholarship recipients playing important roles in our communities — along with those who are having a positive impact on others while pursuing their education — is another reason for donating to the VMDAEC Education Scholarship Foundation,” says Brian Mosier, President & CEO of VMDAEC.

According to Brumberg, the Foundation’s license plate program is a consistent source of funding. “The license plate program is an easy way that Cooperative Living readers can donate automatically every year. When you register your license plate or personalized plate with the Virginia DMV, the Education Scholarship Foundation gets a portion of your vehicle registration fee each year. It’s also a great way to recognize the important work lineworkers do,” Brumberg explains.

Rusty Brown, a director at Northern Neck Electric Cooperative who has served on the Foundation board since the beginning, says, “I believe we need to do all we can for our youth. Every little bit helps when you’re paying for a college education.”

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For more information about the Foundation or to register your license plate, go to vmdaec.com/scholarshipfoundation.