Background

Jeanette Williamson Craig and Eugene “Gene” L. Craig, both descendants of mill workers, were raised and married in the North Highland neighborhood of Columbus, Georgia. They were the first in each of their families to obtain a college degree. Together, they served for nearly 70 years as educators for Muscogee County School District. Jeanette spent most of her career as a media specialist, where her library was described as the “heart of the school.” Among her many talents, she was an avid seamstress and recycled common household items for use in her classrooms and libraries.

Like his wife, Gene’s passion was the development of the whole child with an emphasis on building strong character. Following his time as a teacher, Gene served for 29 years as the principal of Waddell Elementary. His “morning messages” were but one example of his dedication to the teachers and students – a way of letting them know how truly special they were and how all their lives and goals mattered. Gene earned many accolades throughout his career and served on the executive committees of the Muscogee County Principals Association and the Muscogee Educators Association. He also served as the president of the Muscogee County Retired Educators Association.

Jeanette and Gene have two children and enjoyed 57 years of marriage until Jeanette’s death in 2016. Gene presented the first Craig Scholarship in the spring of 2017 and passed away that same fall. Jeanette and Gene’s dedication to education and their impassioned belief in giving back to our community has formed the basis for the Craig Scholarship. This scholarship is established in their honor to help students continue their education and obtain college degrees.

Overview

The Jeanette Williamson Craig & Eugene L. Craig Scholarship:

• Is intended to help students with financial need, high character, and average and above scholastic merit achieve a bachelor's degree.
• Will be paid to the two- or four-year accredited college or university of the student's choice.
• Can be used to cover the cost of tuition, fees, housing, books, and other reasonable costs associated with obtaining a full and rewarding college education.
  • Note: For most students, a scholarship grant used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and essential equipment is usually not taxable. Scholarship funds used for room and board, stipends, and other purposes may be taxable. Scholarship recipients should consult a tax professional with questions about the tax implications of their scholarship grant.
• Will pay $5,000 annually ($2,500 per semester).
• Is renewable and will be awarded for up to eight semesters based on:
  • Continuous full-time enrollment (typically 12 or more credit hours) during each fall and spring semester the student receives the scholarship.
  • Maintenance of a 2.5 GPA.

One Craig Scholar will be selected in 2025. Ideally, the successful applicant will share the same high character as that exemplified by the Craigs’ dedication to the needs of others through their lives. The selection committee would expect the Craig Scholar to demonstrate that character through service to their school, community, religious organization, and/or job.

Eligibility and Application Process

To be eligible for the Craig Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be a graduating high school senior.
• Have a cumulative weighted GPA of 2.5 and above.
• Plan to enter college as a first-year student in the fall of 2025 with the intention of obtaining a bachelor's degree.
• Hold primary residence in Muscogee County, Georgia.
• Be a U.S. citizen at the time of their application.
• Not be an immediate family member of any employee or board member of the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc., or a direct descendant of Jeanette and Gene Craig.
• Complete and submit as instructed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid Form (FAFSA), and submit in their application a copy of the page of the resulting Submission Summary showing the SAI (Student Aid Index). Financial information will be held in strictest confidence.
• Complete a personal interview with the Craig Scholarship Committee if selected as a finalist.

Criteria

The committee will consider applicants who demonstrate:

• Financial need.
• High character as demonstrated through service to their school, community, religious organization, and/or job. 
• Average and above scholastic merit.

Timeline

• Completed Application Due: Friday, March 14, 2025, 5 p.m. EST  
• Notification of Finalist Status: May 2025