Alexandria, VA – Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce awarded 14 scholarships to local high school students to recognize the outstanding achievement of graduating seniors planning to continue their education in a business-related field.
The Chamber’s 2024 Distinguished Business Scholars are pictured above. A special reception hosted by the Army Historical Foundation at the National Museum of the United States Army was held in their honor. Michael Banks, Lewis High School; Kathleen Higgins, South County High School; and John Ogden, West Springfield High School, were unable to attend.
“The scholarships not only allow these students to continue their education, but they also provide them with a framework to perhaps come back someday and make a lasting impact on our own community,” said Alex Thalacker, chair of the Chamber’s Education Partnership. “That is the true reward behind the Chamber’s work.”
“The Chamber selects at least one scholarship recipient from each of the high schools in our service area,” said Holly Dougherty, president of the Mount Vernon Springfield Chamber of Commerce. “We were all inspired by these students and their goals. They have the potential to contribute and become a positive influence in the community.”
Scholarships are made possible by the generous donations of local businesses and by funds raised at the annual Chamber Golf Classic. Businesses that provided complete scholarships are Reworld (formerly known as Covanta Fairfax Inc.), Ourisman Automotive dealerships, CDI Inc., Palo Alto Networks, Mount Vernon Knights of Columbus, and Cisco.
This continues the Chamber’s annual tradition of providing scholarships to students planning to study business. The Chamber has awarded scholarships for more than 20 years. This year’s scholarships totaling $26,000 bring the Chamber’s cumulative scholarship to more than $332,000.
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