Significant Research

Gifts from the Annual Scholarship Fund enabled Ashley Zearfoss to conduct her own research on state-of-the-art equipment with nationally renowned professors as a biology major at Coker College.

Ashley’s undergraduate research led to the funding of multiple grants. Her honors project served as the platform for the Fungal Genomics Initiative at Coker, funded by National Science Foundation. Discoveries from this project will be published in scientific journals with participating Coker students, including Ashley, as co-authors.

She went on to earn a master’s degree from North Carolina State University in 2010 and is currently working on her Ph.D. at Clemson University.

Strong Foundations

Terrance Hayes was able to build a strong foundation for success as an undergraduate because of support from the Annual Scholarship Fund. The 1994 Coker College alumnus won the 2010 National Book Award for Poetry for Lighthead, his fourth collection of poetic works.

Hayes’s other books include “Wind in a Box,” which was named one of the Best 100 Books of 2006 by Publishers Weekly; “Hip Logic,” winner of the National Poetry Series Open Competition and finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award; and “Muscular Music,” winner of both the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and a Whiting Writers Award. His other honors include a Pushcart Prize, three Best American Poetry selections, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Hayes earned a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997. Currently, he is an English professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

Valuable Experiences

Matthew Ferguson excelled at Coker College and beyond. Without assistance from the Annual Scholarship Fund, he might never have had the chance.

After graduating, Matthew spent a year in Indonesia teaching English, studying the education system and facilitating professional development for teachers as a Fulbright Scholar before becoming a Curriculum Coordinator and English teacher at Darlington High School.

The 2006 Coker alumnus earned a master’s degree from Lesley University in 2010 and is currently attending the Charlotte School of Law.

“As a Fulbright Scholar, I worked with students from some very prestigious schools. After about a week, I realized my education was on par with theirs. In some ways, mine was more comprehensive.”

Important Resources

Gifts from the Annual Scholarship Fund gave Norah the support she needed to succeed.

Norah’s study abroad experience in Paris, three-year internship with Coker’s Office of Marketing & Communications and the confidence she gained in multiple studio classes have prepared her for a successful career as a graphic designer.  And none of it would have been possible without support from generous donors like you.

“I had my own studio, 24-hour-a-day access to the art building and interactive classes with professors who truly care about me,” said the 2011 alumna. “Coker has provided me with all the resources I need to succeed.”

Every gift makes a difference.

Gifts from alumni are especially significant because they directly influence Coker’s ability to compete for foundation and corporate gifts, and they increase the College’s national ranking in U.S. News & World Report. More importantly, these gifts provide much needed scholarships for our current students, just like the support you might have received when you were a Coker student. Every gift, regardless of size, is important to the Annual Scholarship Fund.

If you have not made your gift yet this fiscal year, please show your support by doing so before June 30. You can make your gift online at www.coker.edu/gifts or by contacting Wes Daniels ’03 at 843-383-8178.