Gadsden, AL – Gadsden State Community College’s Support Personnel Association (SPA) has partnered with the Cardinal Foundation to create the Kathy Brown Memorial Scholarship, a new award honoring the legacy of a dedicated college employee and SPA member.
“We are honored to offer this scholarship in memory of Kathy Brown, who was an integral part of the Gadsden State family,” said Keli Feely, president of SPA. “Kathy’s dedication to the College and its students was unwavering. We hope this scholarship will help students pursue their careers.”
Brown was a Gadsden State student from 1995 to 1997, earning an Associate in Applied Science degree in Office Administration. She previously received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology from Jacksonville State University in 1980. In 1998, she joined the college’s Public Relations and Marketing Department as an administrative assistant, a role she held until her retirement in August 2024.
Throughout her career, Brown was deeply involved in campus life. She was an SPA member and past president, a lifetime member of the Gadsden State Alumni Association, and active in organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Alabama Community College System Public Relations Association, and the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations. Her dedication was recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Support Staff in 2022 and the Outstanding Support Staff Award from the Gadsden State Alumni Association in 2018.
Following her passing on February 3, 2024, SPA established this $500 scholarship, marking the first scholarship created by the organization. It will be awarded for the Fall 2025 Semester to a student majoring in Office Administration. The scholarship is open to first-time or current students who graduated from a high school, GED program, or homeschool within Etowah County. Eligible applicants must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Donations to the Kathy Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund can be made through the Cardinal Foundation. Contributions can be sent by mail to P.O. Box 227, Gadsden, AL 35902, or made online through the foundation’s donation portal. Gadsden State employees may also contribute via payroll deduction.
For more information on donating or applying, visit www.gadsdenstate.edu/cardinalfoundation.
