Foundation scholarship opens new horizons for MCC-Longview student J.R. Byers

J.R. Byers is getting the most of his education. It’s not just that he is taking advantage of his classes or extra curricular activities while here at MCC-Longview.

Rather, Byers is also taking advantage of the MCC Foundation, which is helping with a full scholarship to pay for school.

“This has to be one the most important things the school is doing for its students,” Byers said of himself and dozens of others who received scholarships from the board and the foundation to complete their education.

“My opportunities have expanded exponentially,” he said. “When I first started I was not sure I could afford to go to a community college let alone a four-year school.”

As a former corporate trainer and business owner, Byers hit a string of bad luck when the economy began to go south. He had to sell his business and immediately started looking for a way to continue to support himself and his children as a single parent.

Originally, Byers had thought he was going to use MCC-Longview as a starting place for a teaching degree, but with renewed confidence given to him by instructors and an opportunity to save a little money on the side, Byers says he now wants to continue in his education and get a Master’s degree or even a Ph.D. in linguistic philosophy or anthropology.

His high GPA and involvement with Phi Theta Kappa also has made him an interesting prospect to other schools. Columbia, Syracuse and handful of others from around the country are all courting Byers as he now prepares to make the decision on where to go after next semester.

“Without the foundation, none of this would have been possible,” Byers said. “For me now, the sky is the limit.”

Even with an unlimited horizon ahead of him, Byers still is quick to credit those at the foundation and at the head of each of his classes for helping him become so successful in his two short years at MCC.