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A high school senior who excels academically and shares her faith enthusiastically is the second recipient of the Tucker Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength Scholarship at Gardner-Webb University. Kyndal Jackson, of Gaffney, SC was honored in a formal presentation of the award on Dec. 21 in the Tucker Student Center. This prestigious scholarship recognizes a student with exceptional academic achievement, who also exemplifies the commands of Jesus found in Mark 12:29-31--"Love the Lord Your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself." Jackson was chosen from a field of 118 applicants, and was one of 20 finalists interviewed by the Tucker Scholarship Selection Committee.
Gardner-Webb President Dr. William M. Downs welcomed everyone to the event and noted the significance of the occasion. "The Tucker Scholarship is a really, really big deal at Gardner-Webb," Downs affirmed. "Each year, the recipient is not just a stellar classroom performer but is also a person of exceptional Christian character. Kyndal Jackson meets--and indeed exceeds--those high standards. We knew she was a perfect match for GWU from the moment we met her."
Carolyn and Robert Tucker, who gave the University $5.5 million in 2010 for the Tucker Student Center, established the Tucker Scholarship in March 2019 with a $4 million scholarship endowment. They are the founders and owners of Shoe Show Inc. in Concord. In the past, Mrs. Tucker explained that Mark 12:29-31 is her life prayer for her family. To remind her children and their spouses, her grandchildren and future Tucker generations of her request, Mrs. Tucker gave them plaques inscribed with the scripture. Replicas of the plaques also hang at entrances to every building on the GWU campus.
Jackson is a student at Gaffney Senior High School, where she is ranked in the top 10 of her class and has been awarded the highest GPA (Grade Point Average) on the Gaffney High School girls tennis team for two consecutive years. She plans to major in exercise science with the goal of attending a Physician Assistant (PA) program to become a pediatric PA.
"This scholarship means everything to me," Jackson stated. "Gardner-Webb served as my instinct school. Meaning, it was the first school I heavily researched, toured, and applied to. Gardner-Webb promotes academic excellence, success, and growth in Christ. My values and GWU's values are extremely compatible. Gardner-Webb just feels like home! I prayed over this scholarship since I decided to apply for it. My family, friends, and church family prayed over this scholarship as well. To me, winning this scholarship is living proof of God's work in my life."
