Ralph and Marion Hendricks give to Greenville Technical College students again
January 4, 2016
Ralph and Marion Hendricks recently donated $250,439 for scholarships at Greenville Technical College. This gift adds to an endowment established many years ago. Mr. Hendricks has given more than $800,000 to the Greenville Tech Foundation. His scholarship gifts have helped 273 students.
“Ralph and Marion Hendricks are changing lives with their support,” said Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College. “By choosing an endowment, their impact on education will be felt forever, allowing generations of students to get the education they need to succeed.”
“Ralph and Marion could invest in brick and mortar. Instead, they choose to invest in brains,” said Hunter Howard, a member of the Greenville Technical College Area Commission who co-chaired the Empowering Tomorrow capital campaign. “As we approached our $3 million goal with our campaign, this gift put us over the top, allowing us to raise $3.3 million.”
Raised in the Gray Court area, Ralph Hendricks served in the Army during World War II and later went to work for his father-in-law’s lumber and supply business. He eventually purchased the company, developing it into one of the largest independent building material suppliers in the Southeast while also serving on Simpsonville City Council and as mayor.
In 1986, Ralph and his first wife, Virginia, created a foundation that funded scholarships for students to attend Furman University, North Greenville University, Anderson University, and Greenville Technical College. After Virginia passed away, Ralph remarried, and he and Marion continue to support Simpsonville and its students through a variety of charitable contributions.
