Ollie and Wanda Sweeney
Wanda and Ollie Sweeney retired to Pinehurst in 1999. Ollie had spent a 30 year career with IMB and Wanda had worked for many years as a 2nd through 6th grade teacher. Being completely retired didn’t suit either of the Sweeney’s well and within a year both had found part-time employment engaging in activities they each loved. An avid golf enthusiast, in 1999 Ollie began working as a golf rules officiator. He has worked officiating local tournaments and officiating tournaments with the NCAA and the Carolinas PGA both in NC and around the country. Wanda was naturally drawn from retirement back to education. Her brother Harlan McCaskill had spent his career as a professor and the Dean of the Continuing Education Department at Sandhills Community College, and Wanda has many fond memories of visiting Harlan and the Sandhills Community College campus. Wanda began working part time helping in the SCC Learning Center with GED Program students. Wanda still works three days a week helping students who are enrolled in the SCC GED Program succeed in their studies.
Wanda said that GED students are truly inspiring. She told the story of a woman she worked with in the 2009-10 school year who completed her GED while working the night shift full-time at WalMart, taking care of a family, and supporting her husband’s military service. Wanda said this woman’s determination to have her GED completed and actually seeing her accomplish her goal in the face of so many obstacles was what Wanda thought was so special about Sandhills. Wanda said students should always remember that there are so many people at Sandhills who care and want students to succeed. All are ready to help students if they’re having trouble.
Each of the Sweeney’s endowed scholarships was created with special meaning to Ollie and Wanda.
Impact
Established to celebrate Ollie’s career at IBM the Ollie and Wanda Sweeney Computer Engineering Endowed Scholarship is awarded to a second-year Computer Engineering student. Determination of award is based on merit (75%) and need (25%) and the student should have demonstrated dedication and potential for business success. Student must maintain 3.0 GPA.
Wanda was an Education major at UNCG, and the Ollie and Wanda Sweeney Endowed Education Scholarship was established to help another student pursue Wanda’s same career. This scholarship is given annually to a second-year college transfer student who plans to pursue an education degree at UNC-Greensboro. Student must maintain 3.0 GPA. Selection will be based on merit, need and potential for success in education. Students may continue to receive scholarship at UNC-G with verification of full-time enrollment and maintenance of required GPA.
The Sweeney’s recognize that the challenges for Sandhills students are not always able to be helped with a traditional scholarship. The Ollie and Wanda Sweeney Endowed Guarantor Fund makes annual awards to deserving students who are faced with significant financial challenges to stay in school. Student selections based on the discretion of the Financial Aid Office, the Division of Continuing, the Director of Foundation Operations and the President
In 2008 Ollie established the Wanda Sweeney GED Endowed Scholarship in honor of Wanda’s service and work with Sandhills GED Students over the past decade. It is awarded to a student who has successfully completed the GED test at Sandhills Community College. Student should have financial need and a history of overcoming hardship or barriers to attendance as well as potential for academic success.
In 2012, the Sweeney’s established the Ollie Sweeney Hospitality & Culinary Technology Endowed Scholarship because of Ollie’s appreciation of the SCC Culinary Program.