The Columbia State Community College Foundation with the S.L. and Mittie Parsley family has established a new scholarship for nursing students living in Maury County and Williamson County.

"The Foundation and Columbia State appreciate the Parsley family honoring their parents in such a way that also helps nursing students achieve their goals," said Bethany Lay, Columbia State vice president for advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Foundation.

Both S.L. and Mittie were born in Maury County and then lived in Williamson County. S.L. was a 1950 graduate of Columbia High School and Mittie was a 1951 graduate of Hay Long High School.

According to their family, S.L. Parsley was the founder and president of Barclay Furniture Manufacturing Company which had over 1,000 employees. Mittie Parsley maintained a home and was an artist with knitting and ceramics. They were married 72 years and raised two children.

The family says they worked to establish the S.L. and Mittie Parsley Scholarship to honor the lives of these two amazing folks.

The scholarship will be funded and awarded on an annual basis beginning with the Fall 2025 semester.

The Columbia State Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports and partners with the college to positively impact student success and the communities in which it serves. For more information, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Foundation.