This past February, the Department of Communication had the chance to celebrate this academic year’s scholarship recipients during the annual Scholarship Tea event. The department is proud of these seven recipients, their accomplishments, and their dreams in the communication field. Meet the 2019-2020 scholarship recipients below! 

Jack Thomas ’23 | Lindner Family Scholarship, 1st Year Recipient   Jack is a communication major from Greensboro, GA. He dreams of becoming a journalist or analyst for college sports after graduation. Jack largely attributes his success to growing up around inspiring teachers, coaches, and parents that have shown him the values of success. He aspires to pay it forward to future generations by being a similar positive influence. As a member of the College’s men’s baseball team, the Lindner Family Scholarship has allowed Jack the opportunity to not worry about the financial burden that comes with being a full-time student-athlete. To his donors, he extends a huge thank you, saying, “I really appreciate your interest towards my academic success and am honored to be named the recipient for the Class of 2023.”

Grace Daughtry ’21 | Lindner Family Scholarship, 2nd Year Recipient   Grace is a communication major with a minor in women’s and gender studies from Piedmont, SC. Her dream job is to be a writer for social justice advocacy or a digital media researcher. Grace is encouraged by the prospect that if diversity, acceptance, and a strong sense of community can exist so fruitfully at the College of Charleston, it can be achieved anywhere in the world. “Attending CofC has been the biggest blessing I’ve experienced,” she says. “The Lindner Family Scholarship is so much more than just financial assistance to me.” Grace is thankful for the opportunity this scholarship has given her to grow personally through her experiences as a student. 

Katie Stagliano ’20 | Lindner Family Scholarship, 3rd Year Recipient   Katie is a communication major with a minor in leadership, change, and social responsibility from Summerville, SC. When Katie isn’t in class, she is working full-time as the founder and Chief Executive Gardener of Katie’s Krops, her local not-for-profit organization. She is continually inspired by the people she helps through her organization. Katie’s Krops started with one cabbage seedling and a dream to reduce the world’s hunger, and Katie can continue to fight to end hunger in her community while also getting her education thanks to her donors. She expresses her thanks to the Lindner family because without this scholarship, she would have to focus more time on her own financial needs and less on the needs of others. The Lindner Family Scholarship allows her to do both, and successfully.

Kylie Wehunt ’20 | Lindner Family Scholarship, 4th Year Recipient   Kylie, from Myrtle Beach, SC, is majoring in communication and double minoring in marketing and Spanish. Kylie aspires to use her degree to become the Chief Marketing Officer of a large business like Target or Best Buy. She is inspired every day by influential, outspoken people using their platforms to change the world. Kylie expresses thanks to the Lindner family for the opportunity to take on internships that interest her without having to worry about funding. “Without you [the Lindner family], I may not have been able to take every opportunity that I would have liked to,” she says. “I greatly appreciate the generosity that you have shown in supporting my education.” 

Raija Haughn ’20 | John & Kathleen Rivers Foundation Scholarship   Raija is a double major in communication and women’s and gender studies from Florence, SC. She dreams of one day becoming a patient advocate for underserved demographics. She states, “I am inspired by acts of compassion and restorative justice in an age of existential stress and frequent tragedy. When I see or hear about people making positive change in their communities, I am inspired to do more for my own community. At the end of the day, compassion for other people and the planet we inhabit is the only thing that will allow us to move forward.” The Rivers Family Scholarship has allowed Raija to focus on academic and professional goals, such as her role as a research assistant for the Women’s Health Research Team and former managing editor position of the Cistern Yard News. She sends thanks to her donors for their support: “I would not be able to attend this university without the help of scholarships like these. I am tremendously grateful for their [the Rivers family’s] continued generosity and support of my academic journey.”

Hannah Bain ’20 | Charleston Advertising Federation / Kenneth Adkins Memorial Scholarship   Hannah is a communication major and political science minor from Charleston, SC. Her dream job is to become an executive director of a nonprofit. She admires individuals who work to improve the lives of others, whether individually or large-scale. Through this scholarship, Hannah has been able to broaden her cultural and academic knowledge locally in Charleston and by studying abroad. She states her gratefulness for the Adkins family’s generous support, and how it has impacted her higher education journey. “I just want to thank the donors from the bottom of my heart… I want to make you proud and continue the legacy as best I can.”

Zoë Murrie ’21 | South Carolina Cable Television Foundation Scholarship   Zoë is a double major in communication and women’s and gender studies from Columbia, SC. She dreams of being a staff writer at the New Yorker after graduation. She is constantly putting her academic skills to use through her work with social change and philosophy. Zoë is inspired by her creative and innovative editor colleagues at CofC’s CisternYard News, where she works as the Editor in Chief. This scholarship gave Zoë the opportunity to focus on school work without having to worry about housing or other living expenses while attending college. “Thank you [SC Cable TV Foundation] for realizing the importance of proficient communicators in South Carolina,” Zoë says, “and for ensuring that students like me can become the best personnel in our field by attending schools of our dreams like the College of Charleston.”

Congratulations once again to our 2019-2020 scholarship recipients. You are an inspiration to us all. Keep up the amazing work!