Pictured above (left to right): 2020-2021 Magnolia Rotary Club Scholarship recipient Connor Harrington, Magnolia Rotary Club President Nominee Kim Hunter, President Elect Will Wood, and President Angie Glass.
The Rotary Club of Magnolia has been serving the greater Magnolia area since 1939. As a part of Rotary International, their mission is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. The Rotary Club of Magnolia has been a staple in the Magnolia Community and has been a proud supporter of Southern Arkansas University for over 25 years, providing the Magnolia Rotary Club Scholarship Endowment as well as an annual Magnolia Rotary Club Scholarship.
The recipient of the Magnolia Rotary Club Scholarship for the 2020-2021 academic year is Connor Harrington. Connor is a sophomore from Magnolia, Arkansas. He graduated from Magnolia High School in 2019 and is pursuing a degree in Mathematics Education with an emphasis in coaching. Connor is a member of the SAU Men’s Golf Team and serves as the Men’s Golf Representative for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. He has been named to the President’s List for two semesters and the Dean’s List for one semester. Following graduation, Connor plans to become a Baseball Coach while teaching Math at the high school level.
Connor shared, “Receiving the Magnolia Rotary Club Scholarship truly means the world to me. I am especially grateful to have been raised in Magnolia and to be a student athlete at SAU.”
Connor’s parents are Jeff and Shannon Harrington. Both are SAU graduates and have served on the Alumni Board. Jeff graduated in 1986 with a degree in Mass Communication. In addition to his service to the Alumni Board, he has also served on the Mulerider Club Advisory Board. During Jeff’s time as a student at SAU, he was a member of the Baptist Student Union and was named Who’s Who among College Students. Shannon graduated cum laude in 1994 with a degree in Accounting. During her time as a student at SAU, she was a member of Students in Free Enterprise and was named Who’s Who among College Students. Shannon currently works as a CPA and Office Manager for Southern Medical Group in Magnolia.
The scholarship is intended for a student who resides in Columbia County and is active in the local community. To qualify, applicants must have evidence of financial need and a minimum GPA of 2.5. Preference will be given to the sons and daughters of Magnolia Rotarians or graduates of high schools in the Magnolia area.
“The Magnolia Rotary Club Scholarship Endowment is making a lifetime of difference to SAU students. This endowment has been supporting student scholarships and will continue to do so in the future,” stated Macy Braswell, SAU Foundation Executive Director and member of the Rotary Club of Magnolia.
This gift was a part of the University’s Love and Loyalty Campaign, an effort that is in its fifth and final year seeking to raise $22.275 million. Increasing the number of scholarship endowments available through the SAU Foundation is a major focus of the campaign. For more information on the Love and Loyalty Campaign, please visit www.sauloveandloyalty.com or contact the Division of Advancement at 870-235-4078.
