Long known as "College Football's Most Charitable Bowl Organization," Peach Bowl, Inc. has become a game changer when it comes to higher education for students across the state of Georgia.
The Bowl's Endowed Scholarship Program, called the John Lewis Legacy of Courage Scholarship – Endowed by the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, was created in 2007 to allow students the opportunity to further their secondary education.
Funded primarily by $100,000 gifts to the universities participating in each year's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, these donations are used to create and fund endowed scholarships for students from Title 1 high schools throughout the state who are now attending college. All told, the program currently operates scholarships at 33 universities with endowment assets totaling more than $8.7 million.
"This scholarship has impacted my life in ways that I could have never imagined," says University of Alabama junior Gabe Shivers. "It has blessed me with the opportunity to be able to one day graduate from my dream school. I am incredibly thankful to have been blessed with this opportunity and I hope to one day pay it forward to the next generation."
The academic support that Peach Bowl, Inc. provides through tuition support enables students to partake in activities that were once out of reach. For a majority of the students, receiving these funds has helped alleviate the financial burden and economic strain that pursuing higher education brings. These scholarships have prevented students from having to get second –and in some cases, third – jobs, freeing up time to focus on their academics, engage in extracurricular activities or even join a club on campus.
"The scholarship has made a huge impact for me because it has given me the financial freedom to be able to focus more on classes and be present on campus since I don't feel like I have to scramble to work part time every free second that I have," says Josh Kirstein, a senior at NC State.
In 2020, to honor the late civil rights icon John Lewis, Peach Bowl, Inc. announced that the Endowed Scholarship Program would be renamed in his honor as the John Lewis Legacy of Courage Scholarship –Endowed by the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The program now honors Congressman Lewis' life and mission by providing scholarships to students primarily from Title 1 schools in the communities he served in the Metro Atlanta area and throughout the state of Georgia.
"John Lewis was a visionary leader and a light in this world," said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and president. "We were honored to have known him as a friend of our bowl and feel privileged to be able to recognize his life and his legacy in this meaningful way."
Like Lewis' legacy, it is Peach Bowl, Inc.'s hope that this initiative will live on for generations through the lives of the students who have been positively impacted by it.
In the current 2021-22 academic year, 37 students from around Georgia received nearly $300,000 in scholarships from the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl's endowment program. Eighteen of those students were from Title 1 schools in disadvantaged areas where the scholarship support is needed most. Since its inception, the Scholarship program has provided more than $1.6 million in scholarships to students needing help.
Profiles
"The John Lewis Legacy of Courage Scholarship – Endowed by the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl has impacted my life in ways that I could have never imagined. First off, the scholarship has blessed me with the opportunity to be able to one day graduate from my dream school, The University of Alabama. This scholarship has put into perspective for me just how essential it is to have faith and how important it is to never give up, even when all doors appear to be closed. Furthermore, I do not view this scholarship as being mine, but my Lord and Savior's Jesus. So, I am incredibly thankful to have been blessed with this opportunity and I hope to one day pay it forward to the next generation."- Gabe Shivers, junior majoring in Social Sciences at the University of Alabama, Butts, Ga. ($30,250)
"I am a Marketing Major from Atlanta, Georgia at Clemson University. Being an out of state student, this scholarship has been such a blessing for my family and me, and we are extremely grateful for the donors. It has also made me value my education in a new way, knowing that someone on the outside has chosen to help me through my time at Clemson. I am so grateful to have the funds to be able to go to such an amazing school where I have learned so much, both in and out of the classroom. My time here has been the biggest growing time in my life thanks to the amazing faculty, as well as the friends I have made that I know will last a lifetime. My family and I cannot express our gratitude enough to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the John Lewis Legacy of Courage Scholarship, and the amazing opportunities it has provided."
- Bridget Breen, sophomore majoring in Business at Clemson University, Brookhaven, Ga. ($27,065)
"The scholarship has made a huge impact for me because it has given me the financial freedom to be able to focus more on classes and be present on campus since I don't feel like I have to scramble to work part time every free second that I have."
- Josh Kirstein, senior majoring in Civil Engineering at NC State, Augusta, Ga. ($18,200)
"The John Lewis Legacy of Courage Scholarship has provided me with opportunities, resources, and a chance to be great!"
- Tanesha Sanders, freshman majoring in Psychology at Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Ga. ($9,435)
