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Austin Peay State University Students to benefit from two scholarships from Jenkins Family

Austin Peay State University - APSUClarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) Foundation received two generous gifts from Don Jenkins and Sandy Jenkins to establish the Jenkins Family PELP Endowment and the Jenkins Family Finish Line Scholarship. Their generosity will provide financial aid for many deserving students.

Jenkins Family creates two new Austin Peay State University scholarships. (APSU)
Jenkins Family creates two new Austin Peay State University scholarships. (APSU)

To be eligible for the Jenkins Family PELP Endowment, students must meet the criteria of the President’s Emerging Leaders Program.

Currently, the criteria states that participating students must maintain a cumulative collegiate GPA of at least 3.5, be enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours per semester and take all courses required by PELP.

To be eligible for the Jenkins Family Finish Line Scholarship, students must be current juniors or seniors. Students will be required to use the funding from this endowment as a one-time award to complete their degree. The APSU Scholarship Committee will determine the recipients of the scholarship based on financial need.

“Our family believes in education to further the principles of democracy in our great nation,” Don Jenkins said. “Democracy only works if the populace is educated. We want to help those who are struggling financially near the end of their college education with the Jenkins Family Finish Line Scholarship.

“These students don’t have quite enough money to finish. We hope this will help them to graduate and go into the job market with skills that will enable them to excel in today’s job market,” stated Jenkins.

“Our support for the President’s Emerging Leaders Program is to equip our nation with future leaders that are so desperately needed in today’s world,” Jenkins said. “The future of our nation depends upon the quality of our leaders. It is critical to have a pipeline of talent ready for the rigors of tomorrow.”

Don and Sandy Jenkins, along with their daughter Casey and their late son Blake, have supported APSU for many years, both through athletics and academics. Their family business, Jenkins and Wynne Ford-Lincoln-Honda, is now one of the top automobile dealerships in the nation.

Don has served as both president and chair of the APSU Foundation, vice president of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, a member of its executive committee and a member of the APSU Board of Trustees. He was an organizer and director of Cumberland Bank, vice chair of the bank’s executive committee, 2013-14 chair of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Board, 2014-15 chair of the Economic Development Council, co-chair for two building campaigns at First Baptist Church and two-time chair for Military Affairs at the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Jenkins is often recognized for his business and philanthropic work, being named Tennessee’s Time Dealer of the Year in 2010, 13-time winner of the American Cancer Society’s “Best of Clarksville” award, six-time winner of the Honda President’s Award and 10-time winner of Ford’s President’s Award.

He was also presented with the 2013 Lincoln President’s Award and the United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region’s Ben C. Parks Award. Jenkins recently received the APSU Alumni Association’s Outstanding Service Award, the Alumni Association’s Wendell Gilbert Award and the Tennessee Board of Regents’ Chancellors Award for Excellence in Philanthropy.

Endowments are permanently restricted funds managed by the Austin Peay State University Foundation. The amount of each scholarship award may vary and will be determined based upon the value of the endowment and the Foundation spending plan.

To support APSU fundraising initiatives, contact the Office of University Advancement at 931-221-7127.

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