PNC Foundation Supports UA Students, Early Childhood Education

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.  — The PNC Foundation has awarded grants totaling $45,000 to The University of Alabama to support both early childhood education in the state and UA students.

UA will use PNC’s funding to support UA’s Child Development Resources programs and for scholarships awarded to students in UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce and the College of Human Environmental Sciences.

“The PNC Foundation’s ongoing support of The University of Alabama with a giving emphasis on early childhood education makes PNC a wonderful corporate partner with the University,” said Bob Pierce, UA vice president for advancement.

“We appreciate it when our donors and supporters help us help others, including our students and our communities,” Pierce said. “The charitable investments the PNC Foundation is making at UA will help enhance early childhood education in West Central Alabama and beyond.”

“PNC has a long history of investing in early childhood education through Grow Up Great, PNC’s $350 million initiative to help prepare children from birth to age five for success in school and life,” said Brian Bucher, PNC regional president.

“The opportunity to support The University of Alabama’s focus on investing in our young children, through student scholarships and program funding, gives PNC the unique ability to create impact along Alabama’s entire educational spectrum, from preschool to the collegiate level,” Bucher said.

Students receiving the PNC Business Honors Scholarship are Chris Fort, of Birmingham; Nick Schmitt, of Fairhope; and Tyler Hohbach, of Ozark. Recipient of the PNC Early Childhood Scholarship is Maggie Chavez, of Birmingham.

The gift to Child Development Resources will fund training for early childhood educators and community events focused on early childhood education. CDR will expand a previous PNC workshop for child care providers in Tuscaloosa and three nearby counties. The gift also helps fund the Super Special Saturday event, a large training session with a nationally known speaker.

PNC began supporting CDR and UA scholarships in 2013, and it has contributed a total of $120,000 year to date.

Child Development Resources, a part of UA’s College of Human Environmental Sciences, is a resource for information about the well-being of young children. It provides training for professional child care providers, offers child care resource and referral information, and conducts parenting education and support programming in Bibb, Choctaw, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marengo, Marion, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa counties.