WAYMOND “LEE” PACE SCHOLARSHIP

“Lee taught me to dream about making the world a better place and then wake up and get to work; he is the initial inspiration for this entire company, and my personal hero” – Robert Hess III

Fund Description:

The Waymond “Lee” Pace scholarship fund seeks to honor his life and legacy by gifting academic scholarships to assist those with demonstrated need to achieve success in school and in life. Lee founded the River of Life Tabernacle in South Phoenix with a desire to build a multi-cultural, multi-denominational “hospital, under construction, open for business, with a Chief Surgeon on duty.” Eventually growing to over 5,000 members; the River of Life celebrated a congregation that was 1/3 black, 1/3 white, 1/3 Latino, with individuals from all walks of life and denominational affiliations. The River of Life was the largest distribution center of food boxes and toys for tots in the State of Arizona, provided housing for the homeless, legal aid, financial assistance, day care, preschool and K-12 education, financial counseling services, transportation assistance, funded orphanages in developing countries and sent missionaries abroad. Lee’s motto in life was ‘bigger, better, more, faster, now’ and he brought a larger than life approach to everything he did and kept a metal washer in his pocket to remind him that we are all flawed and have holes; which is why we need faith to make us whole. This scholarship seeks to support the communities Lee lived so passionately to serve, while developing the next generation of change agents.

Eligibility Requirements

  • High school students, graduates, or those with a GED diploma.
  • Minimum GPA 2.0
  • Attending, or seeking to attend trade school, vocational school, community college, undergraduate or graduate program.
  • Priority will be given to persons of color (e.g. African American, Native American, Latino/a, Asian Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern etc.)
  • Priority will be given to members of the River of Life Tabernacle and their families, who have contributed to the church within the last three years.
  • Preference will be given to:
    • Residents of South Phoenix and the Maryvale area
    • Single mothers
    • Foster children or former foster children
    • Homeless or formerly homeless individuals

Terms

  • Awards are available for up to $2,500 per semester and may be used for tuition, books, or living expenses while in school.
  • Individuals who do not successfully complete the semester maintaining a 2.0 GPA may be responsible to re-pay the funds and are ineligible to re-apply.

Application Process

  • To apply, GO HERE and complete an application online. The application requires:
    • Personal statement of your history and goals.
    • Verification of demonstrated need.
    • 1 personal reference, 1 professional reference.
    • A phone interview.
  • There is no deadline to apply, awards will be given on a rolling basis.
  • The review committee is comprised of at least one representative from:
    • Hess III Consulting, LLC
    • The River of Life Tabernacle
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