The Coahoma Community College Foundation has received a $50,000 endowment from The Stone and Holt Weeks Foundation to establish The Dena Taylor & Stone and Holt Weeks Leadership Scholarship.
The connection was facilitated by Attorney Cynthia Mitchell, a member of the Coahoma Community College Board of Trustees. The generous gift holds deep roots in the Mississippi Delta. Jan Taylor Weeks grew up with extended family in Clarksdale, and Linton Weeks, who grew up in Memphis, Tenn., authored “Clarksdale & Coahoma County: A History” in 1982. Around 1980, the couple also owned Volume One Bookstore in Clarksdale.
The scholarship was created out of profound love and respect for the couple's sons, Stone Taylor Weeks and William Holt Weeks, as well as their cousin, Dena Taylor.
In 2009, Stone, 24, and Holt, 20, were both researchers at Rice University’s James A. Baker Institute for Public Policy when they were killed by a highway trucking crash in Shenandoah County, Va. Stone, a University of Delaware graduate, was a research assistant for historian Douglas Brinkley. Holt, a rising junior at Rice University, was researching technology's impact on the world environment.
“This scholarship is created to honor their exceptional compassion and caring leadership qualities and to recognize their endless passion for learning,” said Jan and Linton Weeks. “And it is our hope that it will inspire, encourage and support these qualities in students of Coahoma Community College.”
The gift also serves as a tribute to Dena Taylor, who grew up in Clarksdale. As an attorney and community volunteer, she shared the brothers' interests and caring ways and was a steadfast contributor to the Foundation.
“We are grateful when supporters of the college see a need and take action to meet that need,” said Dr. Valmadge T. Towner, president of Coahoma Community College. “The generosity of the Weeks family is appreciated and uplifting. Investing in our students will not only provide a positive thrust for individual students, but financial assistance can serve as a benefit for the family of the student. We are in an era that requires families to spend more of their personal income for educational services than ever before. Hats off to the Weeks family for investing in students of Coahoma.”
The Stone and Holt Weeks Foundation provides annual financial aid to organizations Stone and Holt were engaged with, encouraging community engagement and volunteerism among young people. The newly established scholarship at Coahoma will lay the groundwork to encourage more students to embrace opportunities for academic pursuits and caring community leadership.
Individuals or organizations interested in learning more about giving opportunities
can contact the Coahoma Community College Foundation at tcox@coahomacc.edu. To learn more about the lives and legacies of Stone and Holt, visit www.
About Coahoma Community College
Founded in 1949, Coahoma Community College is a public, comprehensive, historically Black community college serving the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Coahoma offers Associate of Arts degrees, Associate of Applied Science degrees, and specialized certificates across dozens of diverse academic and career pathways. Located on a 99-acre campus in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the College is celebrating 77 years of academic excellence. In addition to its affordable tuition and generous scholarship opportunities, Coahoma has earned widespread recognition in nursing and health sciences, career-technical education, and university transfer programs. Outside of the classroom, students are involved in competitive NJCAA athletics as well as a variety of organizations and clubs, including student government, the celebrated college choir, and the renowned Marching Maroon Typhoon.
About The Stone and Holt Weeks Foundation
Established by Jan and Linton Weeks, The Stone and Holt Weeks Foundation honors the
memories of their sons, Stone Taylor Weeks and William Holt Weeks, who were killed
by a 2009 highway trucking crash. The Foundation provides annual financial aid to
organizations the brothers were engaged with and actively encourages community engagement,
volunteerism, and caring leadership among young people. Through these philanthropic
efforts, the organization carries forward Stone's and Holt's shared passion for learning
and making a positive impact on the world. To learn more, visit www.