The Kyle Glenn Holcombe Memorial Scholarship was presented to South Georgia Technical College Electrical Lineworker students Steven Grady Parrish of Perry and Zane Kendrick of Butler recently.
The Kyle Glenn Holcombe Memorial Scholarship fund was established and endowed by Georgia Transmission and Aubrey Silvey Enterprises in memory of Kyle Glenn Holcombe, a 23-year old electrical worker who was employed by Aubry Silvey Enterprises in Carrollton, Georgia. Both Parrish and Kendrick expressed appreciation to the Holcombe family and the South Georgia Technical College Foundation for the scholarship opportunity.
“I would like to express my condolences to the family of Kyle Holcombe. My father works for an electric company and linemen are honest and good-hearted people. I want to be a part of this elite group of people and this scholarship will help me realize that dream. Thank you for affording me this opportunity,” said Kendrick.
Kendrick enrolled in a university right out of high school and stayed about a year. “After a year of writing papers, I decided that wasn’t for me. I wanted to be outside working. Being a lineman means commitment and willingness to respond to the call to restore service when there is a need. A lineworker is a tradesperson who constructs and maintains electric power transmission, telecommunications lines and distributions lines. This is what I want to do with my life.”
Steven Parrish also thanked the Holcombe family. “I am grateful and excited for the opportunities afforded me by this scholarship. I look forward to using the knowledge and skills gained through this program to help my community, my family, and myself. This scholarship and this program is life changing for me and my family and I thank you,” said Parrish.
“This program will present innumerable opportunities and allow for the growth and security of my family. I am 31 years old, and my wife and I have three children, Eddie age 6, Rosa, age 6, and Victor, who is four. Before starting the Electrical Lineworker Program, I was working three jobs to support my family and help pay off numerous medical bills. I continued to work two jobs while attending SGTC,” continued Parrish, who drove each day from Perry to class.
“January 7, 2019 was a memorable day. To most is seems like any other day, but on this day, I started the Electrical Lineworker Program at South Georgia Technical College and it has been life changing for my family. Thank you to everyone for making this possible,” said Parrish.
Both Parrish and Kendrick love the Electrical Lineworker program, the instructors, and the hands on training that they have received. “For the time invested and the possible return, you can’t beat it,” laughed Kendrick. “And you can go anywhere in the world if you want to, because everyone needs power.”
The Kyle Glenn Holcombe Memorial Scholarship was the first scholarship designated specifically to the SGTC Electrical Lineworker program. Kyle Glenn Holcombe was born January 21, 1981 at North East Alabama Regional Medical Center in Anniston, Alabama. His parents are Glenn and Joni Holcombe of Fruithurst, Alabama. He was a loving, hard working young man with many hopes and dreams and will be missed by his parents, as well as his sister, Tracy, and her husband Marc Mayfield, and their two children Annsley and Austen.
“We hope this scholarship will have a long lasting impact on the lives of the young men and women who will benefit from this gift,” said Kyle’s mother, Mrs. Joni Holcombe. “Kyle was an extraordinary young man and we hope that this scholarship will be a tribute to his memory as well as provide assistance to other deserving, outstanding students.”
The Kyle Glenn Holcombe Memorial Scholarship endowment will guarantee indefinite educational opportunities that will impact students at SGTC for many years. Each recipient of the Kyle Glenn Holcombe Memorial Scholarship will receive a photo of Kyle and a note from the family congratulating them on their accomplishment as well as give them some background information about the young man for whom the scholarship is named for.
For more information about the Electrical Lineworker Program at South Georgia Technical College contact Wally Summers, Vice President of Economic Development at 229.931.2040 or visit the SGTC website: www.southgatech.edu. To learn more about how to establish an endowed scholarship at South Georgia Technical College contact Su Ann Bird, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at 229.931.2110.