TOPEKA STUDENTS NAMED FIRST WINNERS OF LAURIE MARIE SCHOLARSHIPS

They are the first winners of the Laurie Marie Scholarship which was established this year at the Topeka Community Foundation by Dr. David W. Carter. Previously the Farley Fellow at the Leadership Institute at Washburn University, Dr. Carter is a corporate trainer, consultant, and professional speaker who donates a portion of all his public speaking earnings to fund scholarships for students of various educational institutions. The scholarship is named after his mother-in-law, who he calls “mom,” to demonstrate his commitment to giving back and the importance of living generously. He chose to name the scholarship after Laurie Marie, a social impact volunteer and supporter of education, for anyone hungry to learn and make a difference in their community.   

 “It’s our mission at the Topeka Community Foundation to assist people in making their charitable dreams come true,” said Marsha Pope, Topeka Community Foundation President. “We celebrate the power of generosity today and hope it inspires others to think about what that might look like in their life.”

The Foundation, with more than $50 million in assets, manages more than 390 separate funds, including scholarship funds, for individuals, businesses and charitable organizations.

The mission of the Topeka Community Foundation is to connect donors with their interests and community needs, increase charitable giving in the community, provide leadership on key community issues and ensure stewardship and accountability for effective community investment of donor dollars.