Lisa Turlington, executive director of the Sampson Community College Foundation accepts a check from Nathalie Collado Rose of Tropicana Supermarket, money that will fund a scholarship for Hispanic students whose studies will focus on business or agriculture.
Courtesy Photo | Sampson Community College
Clinton supermarket effort aimed at Hispanic business, ag students
Owners of a local grocery store have established a new scholarship at Sampson Community College, one that will provide opportunities for Hispanic students in the business and agriculture programs.
According to a press release issued by SCC, a new scholarship was established in May by the Tropicana Supermarket of Clinton.
“We love education,” Tropicana’s Nathalie Collado Rose said. “We think the more you know, the more you grow, and we really hope that it changes somebody’s life, and it helps someone pursue their dreams.”
Megan Bednar, the advancement assistant for Sampson Community College, said the scholarship is for $1,000 for the 2024-25 school year. The press release stated that it is for Hispanic students either enrolled in the business or agriculture course.
“We focus mainly on ag and business because this is our own, owned business,” Rose stated. “Our heart here is to sell the best produce and the best products and that all starts with ag. So, we honor both fields very much.”
Rose said that her family had immigrated to the United States in the 1980s. They opened their first Tropicana Supermarket in 2007, and now they have five locations across North Carolina that are all family-run. These locations include Clinton, Durham, Greenville, Dunn and Goldsboro.
The college will announce the recipient of the scholarship in July.
You can reach Alyssa Bergey at 910-249-4617. Follow us on Twitter at @SamsponInd, like us on Facebook, and check out our Instagram at @thesampsonindependent.