Pictured from left are, (front) siblings Kathy Jones, Pam Killebrew, and Tommy Pierce; (back) President Ed Meadows, the Honorable Grover Robinson, “Flash” Gordon Sprague, Courtney Karamitis, Wanda Cook, and Director of Foundation Scholarships Mikenzie Francis
On Thursday, March 2, friends and family members attended a celebration of the late Dr. Dona Kaye Cotten. A past PSC employee and beacon of influence for her peers and students, the establishment of a scholarship endowment in her name was a reason to remember her legacy and celebrate.
Her many loved ones chose to endow the Dr. Dona Kaye Cotten Memorial Endowed Scholarship so that her undying love for opportunity and higher education could continue to support students into perpetuity.
“She was our big sister, she loved us and knew how to take care of us,” her sister, Pam Killebrew mentioned, recalling the loving and nurturing nature of Dona. “Her loss was so unexpected.”
Dr. Cotten was a first-generation college student, a “product of community colleges” said Dr. Brenda Kelly, her coworker and friend. “She had a long and distinguished thirty-two-year career at the College, starting as a faculty member in 1974 teaching home economics. She carried her love for teaching in every position that she had at the College.”
She was a wonderful mentor and advocate for her peers, putting one hundred percent of her effort and attention into her work at PSC. “She loved her job, she really knew how to take care of things,” her brother, Tommy Pierce commented. “She loved and treated everyone like her neighbors.”
The spirit of Dr. Dona Kaye Cotten lives on in the memory of those who had the great honor of knowing her, and thanks to the Dr. Dona Kaye Cotten Memorial Endowed Scholarship, her spirit will continue on to support PSC students for generations to come.
If you are interested in supporting PSC students with scholarship donations, visit https://foundation.pensacolastate.edu/opportunities-to-support-psc/scholarships/ or contact Mikenzie Francis, Director of Foundation Scholarships at (850) 484-1788 or mrfrancis@pensacolastate.edu.
For more information about applying for scholarships and other forms of financial support at Pensacola State College, visit https://www.pensacolastate.edu/financial-aid/ or contact the Financial Aid Department at (850) 484-1680 or fava@pensacolastate.edu.
Siblings of Dr. Cotten; Tommy Pierce, Pam Killebrew, and Kathy Jones pose together
Pictured are, from left, (front) Kathy Jones, Pam Killebrew, Tommy Pierce; (back) Dick Bedics, Debbie Gerard, Tammy Henderson, Pat Horacek, Susan Morgan, Courtney Karamitis, Wanda Cook, Kim Powell, Phyllis Merritt, Mickie Robinson, Dr. Brenda Kelly, Virginia Santoni, and Nancy Strebeck