Donald “Donnie” Civils, Jr. scholarship established at Lenoir Community College

The family of Donald “Donnie” Civils, Jr. has established a scholarship at Lenoir Community College through its Foundation in memory of him.

The Donald “Donnie” Civils, Jr. Memorial Scholarship was established to help a GED graduate transition to a curriculum program of study. 

Diana Hales, Civils’ sister, said the scholarship should follow the student for the two-to-three-year period it takes for them to obtain an associate degree, as long as the student is full-time, and he or she keeps a GPA at 2.5 or better.

Civils passed away in March 2021, but he had a love of education. From dropping out of high school to pursuing multiple degrees, his passion for learning will be remembered through this scholarship.

“We believe everyone deserves a second chance at school,” Hales said. “Donnie dropped out of high school, worked for a few years, then re-enrolled. He obtained his associate degree, a bachelor’s degree and three master’s degrees, one in Communication from East Carolina University, one in Epidemiology from UNC-Chapel Hill and one from Harvard in Health and Environmental Safety.”

His family said Donnie enjoyed Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, pier fishing, and sharing a cold brew with friends. “He worked for Pfizer in clinical research for six years,” Hales added. 

“Although Donnie did not have any children of his own, our mother, Alice Tripp, is excited for the countless students this scholarship will benefit in the future,” Hales said. “Those would be ‘his children’ in perpetuity.”

For more information or to contribute to the Donald “Donnie” Civils, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, contact LCC Foundation Executive Director Jeanne Kennedy at (252) 233-6812 or email her at jmkennedy48@lenoircc.edu.