PALMETTO, GA, April 12, 2022 – Nicholas Jonassen of Trinity Christian School in Coweta County has been named one of 14 recipients of the Walter Harrison Scholarship in 2022.
The scholarship is sponsored by the electric cooperatives in Georgia, including Coweta-Fayette EMC. Recipients were chosen based on their academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and their service to the community.
Earlier this year, Jonassen competed against 77 other students from across Georgia for the scholarship, which provides $1,000 to help offset the rising costs associated with obtaining a two- or four-year college degree. The scholarship funds can be applied to any accredited two- or four-year university, college, or vocational-technical school in Georgia.
“Coweta-Fayette EMC is proud to have Nicholas Jonassen as a 2022 Walter Harrison scholarship winner,” says Communications Coordinator Rachel Camp with Coweta-Fayette EMC. “The selection committee noted how competitive the field was this year, making Jonassen’s selection in the top 14 a testament to his scholastic achievements.”
Applicants submitted a brief essay explaining why they would be good candidates to receive the scholarship and outlined their educational and career goals along with any special circumstances. Students could use this opportunity to highlight community involvement or a desire to serve others. School performance, grade point average, scholastic honors, extracurricular activities, and financial need were all factors considered by the selection committee.
The scholarship is named in honor of Walter Harrison, a pioneer in the rural electricity movement and a leader at the local, state, and national levels in the electric cooperative program. It is funded by Georgia’s 41 electric cooperatives, including Coweta-Fayette EMC, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the Georgia Rural Electric Supply Corp. Since 1987, more than $250,000 has been awarded to approximately 260 students through the Walter Harrison Scholarship.
Jonassen plans to attend the University of West Georgia in Fall 2022. With a driving passion for technology and innovation, he plans to major in Computer Science. He is an active member of the Beta Club and serves as the Drum Line Leader at Trinity Christian School. He enjoys volunteering in his church, where he assists with children’s church and technology support, as well as at RiverLife, Hope Global, ServeCoweta, and Go Week Ministries.
Coweta Fayette EMC is a member-owned cooperative providing electricity and related services to over 80,000 consumers in Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Fulton, Clayton, Meriwether, Spalding, and Troup counties.