FLORENCE, Ala. – Thanks to the generosity of the Mauldin Family and Bank Independent, two additional University of North Alabama students will now have a little less to worry about this school year. Officials with Bank Independent and UNA recognized the newest recipients of the Edward Fennel Mauldin Endowed Scholarships at a ceremony Tuesday [...]]]>

FLORENCE, Ala. – Thanks to the generosity of the Mauldin Family and Bank Independent, two additional University of North Alabama students will now have a little less to worry about this school year. Officials with Bank Independent and UNA recognized the newest recipients of the Edward Fennel Mauldin Endowed Scholarships at a ceremony Tuesday afternoon, bringing the total number to six recipients. The scholarships are in honor of Edward Fennel Mauldin, the bank’s late chairman and father of current Bank Independent President, Macke Mauldin.

The two students accepting scholarships for the first time were Rikki Herche and Kristina Stokes. Herche is a freshman student in the College of Arts & Sciences; while Stokes is a graduate student in the family studies program.

The four recipients of ongoing scholarships are: Olivia Beavers, a graduate student majoring in education from Killen, and a second-year recipient of the scholarship; Benjamin “Ben” Ish, a senior finance major from Rogersville and third-year Mauldin Scholarship recipient; Gabrielle Ward, a junior social work major from Decatur and a second-year Mauldin Scholarship recipient; and Jeremy Fuller, a sophomore environmental biology major from Sheffield and also a second-year Mauldin Scholarship recipient.

The six recipients were on hand for the announcement Tuesday at the Bank Independent offices on Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals. Macke Mauldin, president of Bank Independent, said the scholarships go far beyond the Shoals. “Educating our young people is the most important thing we can do to positively impact the future of the world.”