GADSDEN, AL –
Gadsden State Community College’s Support Personnel Association has teamed with the Cardinal Foundation to establish the Kathy Brown Memorial Scholarship, a new award created to honor the legacy of a beloved SPA member and retired college employee.
“We are honored to offer this scholarship in memory of Kathy Brown, who was an integral part of the Gadsden State family,” said Keli Feely, president of SPA, an organization of administrative assistants, clerks, and other essential support staff at Gadsden State. “Kathy’s dedication to the College and its students was unwavering. We hope this scholarship will help students pursue their careers.”
Brown began her time at Gadsden State as a student from 1995 to 1997 and earned an Associate in Applied Science degree in Office Administration. She previously earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology in 1980 from Jacksonville State University. She served as the administrative assistant in the Public Relations and Marketing Department since 1998 and retired in August 2024.
Brown was a member of SPA and served a term as its president. She was also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Alabama Community College System Public Relations Association, and the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations. She was a lifetime member of the Gadsden State Alumni Association.
In 2022, Brown received the Chancellor’s Award for Support Staff. In 2018, she won the Outstanding Support Staff Award from the Gadsden State Alumni Association.
The scholarship is the very first of its kind to be set up by SPA. It was created after Brown’s passing on Feb. 3. She is survived by her husband Walter; sons Jared and Detrick; and daughter, Unjole as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The $500 Kathy Brown Memorial Scholarship will be awarded for the Fall 2025 Semester to a student majoring in Office Administration. The award is open to students entering the program for the first time or to current students who graduated from a high school, GED program or homeschool within Etowah County. To be eligible, applicants must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Donations to the Kathy Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund can be made through the Cardinal Foundation, the college’s support organization. Contributions can be sent by mail to PO Box 227, Gadsden, AL 35902, or made online through the Cardinal Foundation’s donation portal.
Employees of Gadsden State may also donate via payroll deduction.
