Simpson establishes scholarship through stock donation

Karen Budlong Simpson of Cooke County has established the Betty Kirby Budlong Red River Promise Scholarship Fund through a donation of stocks to the NCTC Foundation.

Simpson established the trust to honor her mother, Betty Kirby Budlong, a longtime educator and alumni of NCTC.

“Whether in the classroom or with people she met in the community, mom was always a champion for the underdog,” said Simpson.

Simpson was able to donate her stocks to the NCTC Foundation through a foundation partner, DonateStock, a process Simpson described as simple and easy.

"We are honored to play a role in funding this scholarship," said Steve Latham, CEO and Founder of DonateStock. "This is also a great opportunity to educate donors on the benefits and ease of donating stock. When you donate appreciated assets, you save more on taxes while nonprofits keep the proceeds that would otherwise go to the IRS. It's a win-win for all parties.”

This scholarship will be awarded to Red River Promise students from Cooke County ISDs. The Red River Promise provides graduating seniors with varied support services and covers the cost of tuition and fees at NCTC for up to two years or 60 credit hours.

This is the second scholarship Simpson has funded at NCTC to honor her mother. In 2019 Simpson and her brother Garth Budlong established the first Betty Kirby Budlong Scholarship with their donation to the NCTC Foundation.

For information on scholarships, DonateStock, or Red River Promise, visit nctc.edu or email dsharp@nctc.edu.

Pictured from left to right are NCTC Vice Chancellor of External Affairs Debbie Sharp, Karen Budlong Simpson, and NCTC Foundation Board Member Dick Haayen.