May 16, 2007

LIVINGSTON, Ala.—The University of West Alabama’s alumni scholarship fund recently received a $25,000 increase for a scholarship endowment from Tuscaloosa Credit Union.

The Tuscaloosa Credit Union UWA Alumni Scholarship will support undergraduate students from Tuscaloosa County. Earnings from the endowment are used to fund the scholarships.

“This scholarship will be a great boost to students from Tuscaloosa County who choose to attend UWA,” said John Crawford, UWA associate vice president for institutional advancement. “The University is very grateful to the Tuscaloosa Credit Union board of directors for recognizing the impact of The University of West Alabama in the Tuscaloosa area.” 

The Tuscaloosa County alumni chapter, which will continue to add to the endowment, is a growing group, said alumni director Rob McInturf.

“This alumni chapter is passionate about the university and about making a difference in the lives of local students,” McInturf said. “We are very appreciative to the Tuscaloosa Credit Union and to the chapter’s leadership for their efforts, and we are confident that through the continued support of UWA graduates in the Tuscaloosa area, the scholarship fund will continue to grow.”

For Tuscaloosa Credit Union President Tommy Cobb, a 1979 UWA graduate, the endowment is a way for him to give back to his university and support his community at the same time.

"I have an immense sense of gratitude to UWA and TCU, along with so many happy memories from both. Both places pushed me to grow, were kinder to me than I deserved and gave me opportunities when there weren't many out there,” Cobb said. “For years, I have tried to imagine ways to connect the two places together, and the scholarship just became the contact point where dream and reality met. UWA and TCU will now be linked together for many years, and I can't express how much that pleases me.”