HAMLET – Students in the Electric Utility Substation & Relay Technology program at Richmond Community College will have a new scholarship to apply for beginning this fall semester.

The Robert “Bob” & Virginia “Ginny” Silvestri Memorial Scholarship was established by a special friend of the couple to honor their memory.

“We are excited to be able to offer this new scholarship to students aspiring to work in the utility industry,” said Hal Shuler, associate vice president of development. “This is a great way to honor the Silvestris and to help someone on the pathway to a great career.”

The son of an Italian immigrant, Bob Silvestri was born in Danville, Va., in 1932, but he grew up in Greensboro. Silvestri backdated his birthday in order to join the U.S. Army and serve his country. He did tours in Vietnam and Korea prior to retiring from the service after 20 years. He was a member of the VFW and American Legion.

Silvestri married Ginny Tilley from Ellerbe in 1967. They spent a number of years in Greensboro and eventually moved back to Ellerbe. His wife passed away in May 2008, and Silvestri developed kidney cancer and passed away in October 2017.

“Silvestri was obviously a service-minded man, and we are thankful to his friend for thinking of Richmond Community College as a way to honor his legacy,” Shuler said. “We hope others will see the value and honor in establishing student scholarships to help someone get ahead in life through education.”

The scholarship will award a student enrolled in the Electric Utility Substation & Relay Technology program $500 per academic semester. The student must have a 3.0 grade point average or higher. Applications for the scholarship must be completed online at www.richmondcc.edu/scholarships.

To learn more about scholarships or to establish a scholarship through the RichmondCC Foundation, contact Shuler at 910-410-1807 or [email protected].

Wylie Bell is the director of marketing and communications for Richmond Community College.

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Wylie Bell

Richmond Community College