The Joe Nelli Scholarship Fund endowed by the Kiwanis Club of Gastonia

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. The Kiwanis Club of Gastonia is an active group of professionals who are dedicated to the service of children. Founded in Gastonia, North Carolina on December 31, 1940, the Kiwanis Club of Gastonia has a long record of service to our community. This gift is made as a tribute to the dedication and hard work of club members throughout the years to make Gaston County a better place to live, work and prosper.

With this scholarship, the Kiwanis Club wishes to honor the memory of one of its longtime and most devoted members, Mr. Joseph Nelli. He retired in 1991 from FMC Lithium Division after a career of 31 years. Joe was a devoted husband and the consummate father, raising his eight children with love, compassion, and discipline. Joe was an avid golfer and bowler and loved playing backyard badminton games with his children. Joe loved to travel and visited over 25 countries with his beloved wife.

The purpose of this endowment shall be to provide an annual scholarship for a promising student seeking higher education who has the ability, but not the financial resources to better themselves through Gaston College. The recipient must be a Gaston County resident demonstrating financial need and been enrolled in Gaston College for a minimum of 24 credit hours if a full-time student or 12 hours if a part-time student, with a GPA of 2.5.