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Scholarship 

History

It all began in 2005 when a few members of Bethel Baptist Church put their funds together to help one student go to school.  The desire to continue helping students remained, but no program existed to keep it going until 2009 when the Brian J Pierce Scholarship Program was established. Thereafter efforts began to raise funds ~ from our men’s and women’s organizations and through our  Golf Tourney, inspired by the Lyerly’s in 2010 which continues to generate scholarship dollars.   

2012 was a great year for the Golf tournament which translated to a great year for our scholarship program.  We were aligned under the Bethel Enrichment Center and a new committee form to take the program forward.  After finalizing our scholarship framework, we began to consider other areas are program should address given the mission of the BEC. It was then that the Community Impact Scholarships were established.

Last but certainly not least I added the gracious matching contribution of Willie Deese to our key moments in our history.   It was our first time someone has ever matched every scholarship. For that, we will be forever grateful. 

Down Through the Years

BEC Scholarship

05

First scholarship awarded

09

- The Bryan J. Pierce, Sr. Scholarship Program established.
- Segment allotted during church service to recognize a recipient
- BJP Scholarship Logo designed

11

- The BJP Golf Tournament took root
- Bethel’s Women of Virtue held a Scholarship Telethon

12

- The BJP Scholarship Golf Tournament’s - Best Year
- The BJP Scholarship program was aligned under the Bethel
- Enrichment Center and renamed BEC Scholarship.
- A new committee was formed with a goal to take the program to a new level!

13

- Scholarships framework formalized
- 1st Annual BEC Awards & participation in school awards
- Established & promoted New Community Impact Scholarship

10

- Lyerly’s inspired to establish the BJP Scholarship Golf Tournament
- Bethel’s Men of Integrity hosted a Basketball Tournament

15

- Willie Deese, EVP Merck Pharmaceuticals, matches all BEC Scholarships

16

- Thirteen scholarships awarded – highest ever in 1 year. All matched!

Expose,  Encourage, Prepare &  Enable 

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