Scholarship endowment honors 4-H’s Thearon and Vanette McKinney
As Dr. Thearon McKinney retired from N.C. State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, a new scholarship endowment was created by his friends and family to honor McKinney and his wife, Vanette. The Thearon and Vanette McKinney American Youth Foundation Leadership Conference Scholarship Endowment was announced Sept. 7 at a retirement celebration for McKinney at the university’s JC Raulston Arboretum.
The endowment is being created in the N.C. Agricultural Foundation Inc. in the College.
The new scholarship celebrates McKinney’s 34 years of service. He retired as professor and associate state 4-H program leader from CALS and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. During this time he has overseen the NCCES initiative for developing responsible youth and led the Youth Program Development and Delivery Team. Vanette McKinney has also been active over the years as a volunteer for N.C. 4-H events and the American Youth Foundation.
The scholarship will provide opportunities for N.C. 4-H members to attend the American Youth Foundation Leadership Conference. The McKinneys have been affiliated with the AYF since their own college days.
The 4-H program is the youth education program of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, based at N.C. State and N.C. A&T State universities.
– Terri Leith