A generous scholarship is giving students the opportunity to benefit from a Randolph-Macon College education.

The Macon and Joan Brock Scholarship Fund, established in 2012 by Joan and Macon Brock Jr. ’64, provides scholarships to deserving students from the Hampton Roads area in Virginia. Students who have applied to Randolph-Macon College from South Hampton Roads are considered for this scholarship if they have demonstrated academic merit—(high school GPA, class rank and ACT/SAT scores)—and/or financial need.

Gratitude
Carrington Wentz ’17, Angelica Collins ’18, and Katelyn Jordan ’19 are reaping the benefits of the Macon and Joan Brock Scholarship.

Wentz, a business major and accounting and economics minor, was recently elected president of the RMC Student Government Association for the 2016-2017 academic year. He also serves as a resident assistant and is a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society.

“I’m motivated by the Brocks’ generosity to work my hardest in all my classes,” says Wentz. “This is my family…everyone cares about each other.”

Collins is an accounting and economics major who says the scholarship is helping her obtain a great education—one in which small class sizes and caring professors are key components. She has also discovered the benefits of The Edge Career Center.

“You’re more than just a number in your classes,” she says. “I’d like to thank the Brocks for this opportunity to attend such a great school.”

Jordan, a communication studies and political science major, would not have been able to attend RMC without the scholarship. After only one semester, she is involved in numerous activities, clubs and organizations. Jordan is a member of the Leadership Fellows; the Delta Zeta sorority; the Honors Program; and the varsity golf team—and she looks forward to her role as an orientation leader next year.

“I love Randolph-Macon College,” she says. “There is no other place I would rather be. I am so grateful to the Brocks.”

David Lesesne, dean of admissions and financial aid at RMC, lauds the Brocks, who hail from Virginia Beach, Virginia, for their support of the college.

“Macon and Joan Brock have been incredibly generous to Randolph-Macon,” says Lesesne. “This scholarship ties together two things they care about: Randolph-Macon College, and their community—the Virginia Beach area.” To be eligible for the Macon and Joan Brock Scholarship, students must apply for admission to Randolph-Macon College.

Joan and Macon Brock Jr. ’64
Throughout the years, the Brocks have supported RMC in many ways. The Brock Sports and Recreation Center, the Brock Residence Hall in Thomas Branch, and renovations to Fox and Haley Halls were all made possible with the support of the Brocks. In addition, the Brocks endowed the Joan and Macon Brock Professorship in Psychology, which is currently held by Professor Kelly Lambert. Most recently, the Brocks helped facilitate the construction of the Brock Commons student center, and a new science building that will open in fall 2017.

Brock graduated from RMC in 1964 with a B.A. in Latin. He went on to Quantico, Virginia for Marine Corps Officer training, served in Vietnam and was a special agent with the United States Naval Intelligence at the Norfolk Naval Station before becoming a successful entrepreneur, co-founding K and K Toys and Dollar Tree, Inc.

Joan Brock earned a B.A. in secondary education with a minor in mathematics from Longwood College (now Longwood University), and a master’s degree in humanities from Old Dominion University. She is a major shareholder of Dollar Tree, Inc. and served for 11 years as assistant secretary/treasurer for the company. Her career began in her father’s variety store, at that time called K&K 5 &10, which eventually became K& K Toys, Inc.

Macon Brock served on the RMC Board of Trustees from 1992-2009 and served as its chair from 1999-2009. Macon and Joan each chaired, at the same time, the Board of Trustees of a Virginia residential liberal arts college, RMC and Virginia Wesleyan College, respectively. In 2009, Macon and Joan Brock each received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from RMC.

In addition, Macon served as chairman of RMC’s capital campaign, Building Extraordinary, a $115 million initiative.

In 2014, the Brocks were awarded the Council of Independent Colleges Award for Philanthropy. In 2015 they were named Outstanding Philanthropists by the National Association of Fundraising Professionals.