CHARLOTTE — Eighteen college students who are Catholic parishioners in North Carolina each have been awarded a $1,500 George Pitman Scholarship from the George Pitman Endowment Fund.
The endowment was established by the late George Warren Pitman, a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist who once lived in Charlotte. He made the scholarships available to applicants who reside in either Mecklenburg County or the town of Dunn.
Pitman, a renowned designer, built a successful business in the Carolinas and Virginia before passing away in 2007 at the age of 79. For more than 30 years, he ran his design firm, George Pitman Inc., from his home in Charlotte’s Myers Park neighborhood. He was a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Md., and Bright’s School of Design in Chicago, and he bequeathed $1.2 million of his estate to establish an endowment that funds need-based scholarships to Catholic students who wish to earn an undergraduate degree.
Through the George Warren Pitman Scholarship Fund, college-bound Catholics can apply for renewable awards of up to $1,500, depending on the type of college (two-year, four-year or vocational) they plan to attend.
Two freshmen, four sophomores, two juniors and 10 seniors are receiving scholarships. They will attend universities including: Appalachian State University, Belmont Abbey College, Catholic University of America, Hillsdale College, High Point University, Purdue University, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Charlotte, UNC-Wilmington, University of Dayton, University of Tennessee, University of Notre Dame and Washington and Lee University.
The application period for the George Pitman Scholarship runs from Dec. 3 to March 1. (For application information, contact Jim Kelley, development director for the Diocese of Charlotte, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)
“Mr. Pitman’s transformative gift continues to benefit Catholic students to attend a college or university of their choice,” Kelley said.
He added, “More and more people across the diocese are remembering the Church in their estate plans – gifts from thousands of dollars to millions – and we are thankful for their generosity.”
Those like Pitman who make a planned gift that benefits the diocese or any of its parishes, schools, ministries or agencies become members of the Catholic Heritage Society. The Catholic Heritage Society is comprised of more than 1,500 people in the diocese, many of whom are leaving gifts to the diocesan foundation in their wills.
Since 1994, the foundation has distributed $13.2 million to the diocese and its parishes, schools and ministries.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
CHARLOTTE — A long-awaited fine arts center for Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools is beginning to take shape on the campus of Charlotte Catholic High School.
The site preparation is complete, concrete foundations have been poured, and pre-cast concrete wall panels are going up, reports Emmett Sapp, Diocese of Charlotte construction manager.
The $21 million, 47,700-square-foot facility will house a 600-seat auditorium and a high-quality performance and exhibit space for MACS students.
It will also house an art room and a band room, choral room, ceramics studio, dance studio, digital lab, stage and theater. Charlotte Catholic’s visual and performing arts classes will move to the new center, freeing up space inside the high school for other classroom use as well as space for a weight room, wrestling room and more. Construction is expected to be completed by next spring.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. Photo provided by Diocese of Charlotte