Following the Example of the Good Shepherd: Woodmont’s Scholarship Program

There are a few things about our company that we always like to highlight: our commitment to family; our marketplace ministry; and our strong belief in fostering the development of not just our employees, but their families as well.

For this reason, we launched our Woodmont Cabinetry scholarship program three years ago. Each year, we give out ten academic scholarships to our employees’ dependents. We choose the scholarship recipients based on academic performance, references, the students’ answers to our application questions, and financial need.

This year, five of our recipients were returning recipients. In fact, one student has even been awarded the scholarship for all three years of the program!

To celebrate, recipients are invited to a recognition reception at Woodmont Cabinetry, where our management team honors both the recipient and the parent who works for our company. Stan Tidwell gives the students a few words of encouragement for the year ahead and a book that he has specifically chosen to help them along their college journey. Then, we introduce each recipient to his or her personal Woodmont mentor.

Who are the Woodmont mentors?

Hailing from our customer service, sales and manufacturing management departments, a handful of our employees volunteer to help shepherd young students on their paths to academic and professional achievement. Periodically throughout the school year, the Woodmont mentors follow up with their students to check in on their progress and offer guidance and encouragement.

2016 was the inaugural year for our mentorship program. Since the program began, we’ve seen an increase in repeat recipients — a strong case for the efficacy of our mentors!

Stan’s Scholarship Books:

For 2015 recipients: David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell

Stan chose this book for its clear and measured take on challenges, obstacles, and what it takes to succeed. Gladwell argues that many of the challenges we assume are hindrances to our success might just be the things that are giving us the skills that we’ll need — that will make us competitive, confident, and prepared — when entering the world.

For 2016 recipients: Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex & Brett Harris

Stan chose this book for its insightful perspective on the true importance of the teen years. Rather than buying into the myth that teenagers are inherently irresponsible, the authors (teens themselves!) intertwine history, biblical insight, and modern examples to make an inspirational case for the fact that your teen years are not a time to waste. Instead, they map out important ways teens can use their power to rebel against the low expectations placed on them and create positive, lasting change in the world.

For 2017 recipients: The Graduate Survival Guide: 5 Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make in College by Anthony ONeal and Rachel Cruze

Stan chose this book for its insightful combination of hard truths, inspiration, and necessary financial guidance. Deep debt is sometimes seen as the baseline for college graduates—and it shouldn’t be! The book is meant to help students stay focused on the important things and avoid taking on early debt that will follow them into their adult lives.

It’s our strong belief that this program — the scholarships, the mentors, and the literature — will help guide our recipients toward becoming a force for positive change as they make their way into the world. Congratulations to this year’s ten deserving scholars!