Scholarship Established in Memory of Former Commission Chair Bruce Norton
Press Release
Date: November 4, 2022
Contact: Lisa Garrett, lgarrett@tctc.edu
(By Lisa Garrett)
Scholarship Established in Memory of Former Commission Chair Bruce Norton
PENDLETON, SC – Lyn Norton, a retired Oconee County educator and widow of Bruce Norton, former chairman of the TCTC Commission, established a scholarship in memory of her husband.
Bruce Norton, who represented Oconee County on the TCTC Commission from 1975 until 2000, died November 28, 2020, at the age of 93. He was general manager of Jantzen Southern in Seneca from 1958 until his retirement in 1985 and was widely recognized as a distinguished public servant and leader in the community.
“Education and Tri-County were near and dear to Bruce’s heart,” said Lyn Norton. After his passing, she and their adult children decided to honor Bruce Norton by endowing a scholarship in his name at TCTC where he served as the Commission’s chairman, vice chairman, and secretary/treasurer and helped lead the College through one of its largest expansion programs as chair of the master plan and building committee.
Bruce Norton, a graduate of Whitman College and the University of Denver, valued the technical college system and its mission of promoting economic development and student success.
In addition to his strong support and service to TCTC, Bruce Norton gave generously to his community by serving as president of the Seneca Chamber of Commerce and United Way.
“Bruce was committed to those things he believed in and one of those was TCTC. He would be so pleased with the scholarship,” said Lyn Norton.
When discussing the guidelines, she said her daughter, also an educator, suggested the scholarship recipient be a graduate of an adult education program or someone who had received their GED and be an Oconee County resident.
Elijah Jean, a 30-year-old Seneca resident and current Welding major, is the first recipient of the Bruce Norton Memorial Scholarship.
Jean received his GED in 2008 and began working in the food service industry until the mid-2000s and later worked in manufacturing. Since the age of 17, he had struggled with addiction until three years ago when he got sober. “At that time, I didn't have much going for me, nor did I have much will or desire to continue to live, which is why I cycled in and out of mental institutions for years. Nevertheless, by the grace and strength of God, I overcame my drug dependency and I have been forever changed since,” said Jean.
Today Jean works a 12-hour shift as a process technician at Glen Raven and then attends afternoon Welding classes. He also serves as a community chaplain in the Utica area.
Jean is beyond grateful for the scholarship and a second chance. “After I graduate, I plan on putting much more of my focus on ministry goals. I really would like to encourage others who are still sick and suffering with addictions and mental issues that there is freedom and hope for all of us, by sharing with them how God's grace has forever changed me and given me an abundance of life.”
About Tri-County Technical College
Tri-County Technical College, a public two-year community and technical college serving Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties in South Carolina, enrolls more than 9,000 students annually and offers more than 70 major fields of study, including computer technology, industrial electronics, mechatronics, nursing, and university transfer programs. Tri-County boasts the highest student success rate among two-year colleges in the state and ranks in the top one percent nationally for successful student transfers to four-year colleges and universities. To learn more, visit tctc.edu.
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