Background

Harry B. Rowell, Jr. was born in Crawford County, Georgia, on September 21, 1941. He graduated from Crawford County High School (CCHS) in 1959 and was voted by his class as “Most Likely to Succeed”.

Harry first attended Georgia Institute of Technology to study electrical engineering. Due to financial constraints, Harry would alternate attending college for one quarter, then take a quarter off to work in Crawford County, sometimes as a substitute Math teacher at CCHS, to make enough money to attend college the next quarter. Work ethic, determination, achievement, and moral character were important qualities to Harry throughout his life.

In September 1961, Harry married Mary Jeanette Hancock, a 1961 CCHS graduate. While he enjoyed electrical engineering, Harry foresaw that the newly developing field of computer hardware and software were to change the future of business. Therefore, a decision was made to transfer to the University of Georgia where Harry would study Business, with an interest in Computer Science. He worked as a bank teller for Citizens & Southern Bank while attending UGA full time. In 1966, Harry graduated from UGA with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Cum Laude. In 1967, he earned a Master of Arts with a concentration in Computer Science. His Master’s Thesis was a Sales Management Organization Game computer program, which was utilized for many years by UGA’s Business School as well as by IBM and other commercial enterprises.

Upon graduation from UGA, Harry worked as Director of COSMIC, a joint venture between UGA and NASA, which owned and operated one of the first supercomputers located in the United States. One project he worked on at COSMIC was the computer program to calculate the thickness of the heat shield for the space reentry capsule.

Overall, Harry spent fifteen years in higher education on the staff of the University of Georgia, Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA), and as Vice President and Treasurer of the University of Bridgeport (Bridgeport, CT). In 1980, he left high education and joined the corporate world at Hubbell Incorporated (CT), initially as Director of Mergers & Acquisitions. He climbed the corporate ladder, becoming Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer, and ultimately holding the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Harry retired from Hubbell, Inc. in October 2001.

Harry served on many charitable boards including United Way, Kennedy Center (CT), and as Chairman of the Board of Goodwill Industries of Southern Connecticut.   Harry B. Rowell, Jr. passed away on February 11, 2017, and is buried with his wife Jeanette in the Roberta City Cemetery.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be a graduating senior of Crawford County High School
• Have a 3.0 Minimum cumulative Crawford County High School GPA or higher
• Must be accepted and planning to attend an accredited four-year college or university.
• Must be planning to enroll as a full-time student pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Academic Merit and Achievement
• Outstanding Leadership and Citizenship
• Demonstrated Service to Others

Additional Short Answer Questions and Attachments

The Harry B. Rowell, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund will request the following additional information:

• Letter of Recommendation– Please provide the name and email address of a teacher who has agreed to submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf. Before submitting their information, kindly ensure you have asked for their permission. Additionally, inform them when you have completed your application, as they will receive an email from our system prompting them to submit the recommendation at that time.

   

Awards

Amount of Award:           $500 per year

Number of Awards:         One new recipient selected annually, up to four concurrent awards.

Renewal for Prior Recipients: A prior recipient of this scholarship fund is eligible to renew the award each subsequent year of his/her education career for up to four years. To renew, he/she must complete all the required follow-ups assigned by the CFCG Scholarship Director and adhere to the above scholarship fund eligibility criteria.

If a prior recipient does not maintain the eligibility criteria or faces unique circumstances that require him/her to take time off or take a reduced course load for a semester, the student should contact the Community Foundation to determine if he/she is eligible for continued funding.