MountainTrue is excited to announce the 2024 winner of the Glenn F. Carson, II Memorial Conservation Scholarship: Graham County resident and Robbinsville High graduate, Donovan Carpenter. In high school, Donovan has been an honor student and an accomplished player in both basketball and football. He was an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and also enjoyed being part of Friends of the Athletes. “I love this club because I’m able to help kids with special needs compete in sports events,” Donovan wrote in his scholarship application.

Donovan plans to major in either civil engineering or construction management when he heads to Western Carolina University this fall. He would like to ultimately return to his hometown and put his skills to work preserving our natural resources. His scholarship is $2,000 and is renewable at $1,000 per year for up to three additional years, based on continued eligibility.

Originally established in 2014 by the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition (now MountainTrue’s Western Regional Office), the Carson Conservation Scholarship is a memorial to the late Glenn F. Carson, II. At the time of his death, Glenn was the District Conservationist for Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and was an important leader in the WNC conservation community. He was a graduate of Western Carolina University. 

The Carson Conservation Scholarship assists young people from Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties who want to pursue higher education in natural resource conservation fields such as agriculture, forestry, environmental science, health or engineering, and wildlife management. To date, $24,250 in scholarship funds have been awarded to 16 students.

To support more students through the Carson Conservation Scholarship fund, make a donation at mountaintrue.org/join and mark your donation as “In Memory of Glenn F. Carson, II.”