A legacy that keeps giving: George W. Andrews Scholarship Endowment uplifts Montgomery County students
When George William Andrews left his family’s farm outside Mt. Gilead to study engineering at NC State University, he carried with him the values of his Montgomery County upbringing and a commitment to giving back.
Those values shaped a remarkable career in mechanical engineering, culminating in his role as president and CEO of Keco Industries in Cincinnati. But perhaps his most enduring legacy is one that never left home.
In 2006, Andrews established the George W. Andrews Scholarship Endowment with the North Carolina Community Foundation, creating a renewable scholarship for Montgomery County students. Nearly two decades later, the fund has awarded more than $550,000 in scholarships and continues to grow.
Tom Andrews, George William’s son and fund advisor of the endowment, recalls his father taking the family on annual visits from Cincinnati to the Mt. Gilead farm. “He got to the point that he wanted to give back to the community he grew up in,” said Tom. “That’s where the idea of the scholarship came from.”
Administered through NCCF and its local affiliate, the Montgomery County Fund, the scholarship supports students from Montgomery Central High School or Montgomery County Early College and emphasizes criteria George William cared about most.
“He wanted it to consider academic performance and their involvement in the community,” Tom said. “And then the other criteria is their financial situation. It’s trying to pick people with the need and people with abilities and try to elevate them…so they can maybe do the same things my dad did.”
The renewable nature of the scholarship makes it especially impactful.
“We’ve had several students in the past three years get awarded $8,000,” said Will Carpenter, chair of the scholarship committee and vice president of the Montgomery County Fund. “So as a renewing factor, that’s $32,000 for their college education.”
Each year, the committee typically selects three students, with one receiving a higher amount. It supports around 12 students in total at any given time. Applicants are evaluated through GPA, test scores, essays, and interviews with the committee.
“One of the most rewarding things of being part of this committee is seeing the opportunity that some folks will have to go to a university instead of a community college or instead of some other one that might be a little bit more affordable for them,” Carpenter said. “They’re going into all kinds of fields, and it’s nice to see how the scholarship can help launch them.”
Julian Leake, a 2023 graduate of Montgomery Central High School and now a psychology major at UNC Charlotte, is one of those students. “This scholarship has helped me a lot with my financial needs and has also prepared me for future interviews,” said Leake. “Going through the process, thinking through the questions, preparing my answers, and speaking in front of people with high status really helped build my confidence and communication skills. It’s been a blessing.”
Even after George William’s passing in 2010, the scholarship has stayed true to his original vision. The Andrews family continues to help select recipients while NCCF manages the fund’s administration.
“As a family, we’re grateful for the North Carolina Community Foundation and what they do to facilitate things and manage the endowment,” Tom said. “That was the intent, and that’s the way it’s working.”