Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF) is the 2020 recipient of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s (PTK) Alliance for Educational Excellence Award. The award will be presented during PTK’s annual convention, PTK Catalyst, April 2-4 in the Greater Dallas Area in Texas.
WHEF is the largest non-profit in Mississippi. Its mission is to help more Mississippians obtain post-secondary credentials, college certificates, and degrees that lead to meaningful employment. It also provides grants to non-profits and educational institutions, and it operates three “Get2College” centers throughout the state focused on providing free college counseling to any person in Mississippi who requests it.
WHEF hosts workshops and training to help students and their families complete the FAFSA, and these efforts have helped propel Mississippi to rank fourth in the nation for FAFSA completion.
“We applaud WHEF for their outstanding and extraordinary commitment to Phi Theta Kappa, its mission, and its members,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, PTK’s President and CEO. “WHEF’s contribution helps PTK achieve its mission and, as a result of their work, brings us a step closer to achieving our vision — to make the benefits of membership accessible to all deserving college students.”
Phi Theta Kappa’s relationship with WHEF began in 2016, when it funded the first-ever statewide program to fund membership for 750 low-income students from PTK’s 15 Mississippi chapters. Since that time, WHEF has committed for the next three years to help all students in Mississippi who are eligible but cannot afford to join.
This gift of membership will open the doors to a four-year degree at a much lower cost for many Mississippians. Because of the transfer partnerships Phi Theta Kappa has with all public four-year colleges in Mississippi, PTK estimates its WHEF Scholars will receive $10 million to $13 million in transfer and other scholarships in the coming years.
The Alliance for Educational Excellence Award is not given every year; rather, it is reserved for organizations and individuals that have provided extraordinary leadership and support to organizations in the field of education. Past recipients include the Coca-Cola Foundation, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
