The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce offers an annual scholarship to chamber members pursuing higher education.

Last year scholarships were awarded to two students, Linda Gillman at Western Carolina University and Mandy Revis at Southwestern Community College.

Gilman formerly served as the office administrator for the Downtown Sylva Association, but decided to go back to school to pursue a degree in psychology. She had earned a six-year certificate in non-profit management from the University of Georgia but found that potential employers did not value the certificate as much as a four-year degree.

“I got tired of that,” Gilman said.

While in school at Western, Gilman’s husband passed away. His death resulted in a financial strain and so Gilman applied for the Chamber of Commerce’s scholarship.

“I was excited as heck to get it of course,” Gilman said.

In addition to the chamber scholarship, Gilman also received two from the school, though the chamber scholarship was the largest of the three.

Gilman graduated on Dec. 15, 2007, with her degrees in psychology and a minor in social work. Now she’s planning on going to graduate school to earn her master’s degree in transpersonal psychology with a focus on death and dying.

“Hopefully I can work for a hospice care organization,” Gilman said.

The pursuit of her master’s degree may lead her to California. Her eldest son lives in Sacramento and wants to close the cross-country distance between the two. Gilman is in the process of applying to a school there and is optimistic about her chances. She graduated cum laude and had a good GPA.

“Plus they like mature students for this program,” she said.

As to what the future holds after her master’s, Gilman isn’t sure. She’s contemplated going on to get her doctorate degree.

“We’ll just see what happens when I get there,” she says.

Revis was awarded the Chamber scholarship during her first year at SCC. The Sylva native is studying criminal justice and hopes to become a police investigator.

Revis also was awarded the Grady Corbin Memorial Scholarship through SCC, which is a merit based scholarship.

Among other criteria, candidates for the Chamber scholarship are considered on the basis of their overall academic merit, financial need, and civic involvement and their close affiliation with the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, as a member or by having an immediate family relation who is a member.