Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1437729
7 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y Life can change in an instant. Ron and Victor Shipman know this to be true. They were teenagers when their parents, Adele and Homer Shipman, Jr., died. Ron and Victor completed high school and college and have worked hard to live out the values their parents instilled in them before they passed away at such early ages. Recently they wanted to do more to honor their parents' memory. Ron and Victor established the NAP Foundation Scholarship Fund at CFCG to honor their parents' generous, hard-working spirit and create meaningful change in the lives of students across Central Georgia. "Parents are crucial to your upbringing, but you also need to have a supportive community involved in your upbringing and an understanding about being good stewards," explains Ron. Named affectionately after their mother, whose nickname was "Nap," this scholarship supports students pursuing a bachelor's degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) field. Recognizing how difficult it is to lose a parent at a young age, the Shipman brothers also wanted to be sure their parents' fund was structured in such a way that it helped other students facing the unimaginable heartbreak of losing a parent pursue their educational dreams. "We want to make sure this scholarship helps students well beyond our lifetime," Ron explains. "And having an organization like the Community Foundation that you can trust is so helpful." From Hardship to a Long-Lasting Memory NAP Foundation Scholarship Fund Adele and Homer Shipman, Jr. for whom the NAP Foundation Scholarship Fund is named. G R O W I N G G I V I N G "We want to make sure this scholarship helps students well beyond our lifetime."