GRAHAM, N.C. — Faiger M. Blackwell Sr., founder of Blackwell Funeral Home in Burlington, has added his late mother, Mary Adelaide Blackwell, to the scholarship he established at Alamance Community College (ACC) in memory of his father, Roy Blackwell. The newly named Roy and Mary Adelaide Blackwell Memorial Scholarship will help ACC business students pay for their education for years to come.
The signing formally took place the morning of October 26, 2026, in the President's Suite of the Gee Building on ACC's main campus in Graham. During the meeting, Blackwell completed the documents establishing the Roy and Mary Adelaide Blackwell Memorial Scholarship endowment, and Blackwell Funeral Home presented a gift $5,000 to support the scholarship's continued growth and long-term impact on ACC students.
The scholarship provides financial assistance to students enrolled in a business-related curriculum program at Alamance Community College. Because the scholarship is endowed, the gift is invested and a portion of its earnings is awarded each year, allowing it to support students indefinitely.
“My parents taught me the importance of hard work, helping others, and making a difference in your community. Those values have stayed with me throughout my life, and I wanted to do something that would honor both of them in a meaningful way. My hope is that this scholarship will give students an opportunity to build a better future for themselves and their families. Long after I'm gone, I want my parents' names to continue making a difference in someone's life, said Faiger M. Blackwell Sr., founder of Blackwell Funeral Home.
Blackwell has supported ACC since 1985 and served on the ACC Foundation Board of Directors beginning in 1996, including on its Executive and Fundraising committees.
“What makes this gift so special is that Mr. Blackwell is turning his love for his parents into opportunities for generations of students he may never meet. That is the beauty of philanthropy. It allows us to honor the people who shaped our lives while making a lasting difference in the lives of others. We are incredibly grateful to Mr. Blackwell and his family for believing in our students and continuing to invest in their futures,” said Sarah Hardin, Vice President of Public Affairs and Philanthropy at Alamance Community College.
Partnerships like this one pave the way for students to fully embrace their educational journeys. When a local family invests in their success, students begin to see their community in a new light: not just as the place they live, but as a circle of supporters cheering them on. Many of the Foundation’s donors come from the very communities ACC serves, and some once studied at ACC themselves or have family members enrolled today. It is a meaningful reminder to students that the people cheering them on once stood where they are now, and that one day they, too, can give back to the students who follow them.
About the Alamance Community College Foundation
The Alamance Community College Foundation works to create opportunities for students and strengthen Alamance Community College through philanthropy and community partnerships. The Foundation supports scholarships, student needs, academic and workforce programs, and other initiatives that help remove barriers and provide students with the resources they need to succeed.
Individuals, businesses, alumni, and community organizations can become involved with the Foundation in many ways, including making a gift, supporting or establishing a scholarship, investing in a College program, donating equipment or resources, sponsoring Foundation initiatives and events, or partnering with the College to address student and workforce needs.
To learn more about the Alamance Community College Foundation and ways to become involved, visit https://www.alamancecc.edu/giving/index.php.
About Blackwell Funeral Home
Founded in 1998 by Faiger M. Blackwell Sr., Blackwell Funeral Home is a family-owned funeral home located at 1292 Rauhut Street in Burlington. Today the business is managed with his son, Licensed Funeral Director Faiger “Grea” Blackwell II, and serves families in Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Rockingham, Orange, Person and Chatham counties, as well as Danville, Va., and surrounding areas. Its motto is “A Growing Tradition of Excellence and Dedication.” To learn more, visit https://www.blackwellfuneral.com.