DREAMS INTO REALITY

UGA giving features psychology major Savonte Wilson ’21, who is attending his dream school thanks to the Beth and Barry Storey Family Scholarship:

“I always wanted to come to UGA—it was my dream school,” said Savonte. “I made the grades for it and everything: I had a 4.0 throughout high school. I was determined to come here.”

Savonte, a Moultrie, Georgia, native, was accepted to the University of Georgia on St. Patrick’s Day 2017, but it was tough to celebrate. Even with numerous scholarships from his high school, there were many expenses to cover, and his single-parent household couldn’t handle the burden.

“My mom and my sister were kind of against me going to UGA because they didn’t want me to take out loans,” said Savonte. “I just couldn’t take that. I didn’t want to not go to UGA.”

So, he talked with people, weighed his options, and prayed on it. Then he got an email from a UGA address.

“It was from the Office of Student Financial Aid, and it read, ‘You’ll be receiving a scholarship of $3,500 for every year you’re here,’” said Savonte. “I couldn’t believe it. Then, 15 minutes later, I got another email that said, ‘Sorry, we meant $7,000.’”

Savonte had become the first recipient of the Beth and Barry Storey Family Scholarship, a scholarship set up by Barry Storey (BSA ’82), a UGA Foundation Trustee, and his wife as part of the Georgia Commitment Scholarship program.

“If it weren’t for the kindness and generosity of the Storeys, I wouldn’t be at UGA,” said Savonte. “This scholarship has allowed me to grow in my faith, grow in my major, and get more involved at UGA.”

Great story about a great student who is now an important part of the UGA family. We're proud that Wilson is part of Franklin and humbled by the opportunities provided by the Storeys that are molding feature leaders like Wilson. More terrific giving stories at the link.