More than $250,000 in scholarships have been awarded to 126 Gordon State College students through the Gordon State College Foundation.

The money will be distributed for use during the 2015-16 academic year.

"These funds show that companies, organizations, families, and individuals have chosen to partner with the Gordon State College Foundation to help deserving students cover some of the cost of attending college," said Rhonda Toon, executive director of the Gordon State College Foundation. "Developing or supporting a scholarship is a perfect way for a donor to connect with the future by making a difference in a student's life."

One of the scholarship recipients agrees.

"It is hard to put into words how much receiving a scholarship means to me," said Gordon senior and Human Services major Raven Willis who was awarded the Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Byrd General Scholarship. "I am determined to finish my degree requirements, but I just wasn't sure where the money was going to come from, and I did not want to go into debt. I can now concentrate on completing college."

More than 20 percent of the students receiving a scholarship are enrolled in bachelor degree programs. Of those students, the average scholarship award totals $2,000. Other awards average $1,800 each.

Seven new scholarship endowment funds have been established at Gordon in the past two years.

Among the newest scholarship awards is one given to students who attended the Super Scholarship Saturday event in January 2015. During the event students entered a drawing for scholarships up to $1,000. Another is the Founders Day Celebration and Scholarship fundraiser event, sponsored by the Foundation, which was first held in Spring 2014 and raised enough money to endow a scholarship. The Spring 2015 event doubled that endowment.