Sparks Foundation Receives $87,000 The Comer Foundation Community Impact Grant

WCCD Industrial Systems Technology instructor Lee DeFee (center) works with students in the program lab on the Sparks Campus.

The Wallace Community College Sparks Foundation has been awarded an $87,000 Community Impact Grant Scholarship from The Comer Foundation to support students enrolled in the Industrial Systems Technology program on the Sparks Campus in Eufaula. The grant will fund six full scholarships covering tuition, books, supplies, fees, and graduation expenses for students enrolled in the program.

The Comer Foundation Community Impact Grant Scholarship is designed to reduce financial barriers for students pursuing technical education and to strengthen the regional workforce by supporting career-ready graduates. Applications are now being accepted, and scholarships will be awarded in May 2026, with recipients beginning the Industrial Systems Technology program in August 2026.

Applications can be found at https://www.wallace.edu/scholarships/current-scholarship-opportunities/.

“We are delighted to award The Comer Foundation Community Impact Grant to Wallace Community College,” says Braxton Comer, Trustee of The Comer Foundation.  “The Industrial Systems Technology program has a proven track record of preparing students to build meaningful careers that are vital to our community.  We congratulate and thank Lee Defee, all the professors, and administrators of the Sparks Campus for helping to create a successful future for these Alabama students.”

The Industrial Systems Technology program prepares students for high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing and industrial operations. Through a hands-on, skills-based curriculum, students receive training in electrical systems, mechanical maintenance, industrial safety, troubleshooting, and preventive maintenance. Graduates are equipped to work in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, utilities, and processing facilities, where skilled maintenance technicians are essential to keeping operations running efficiently and safely.

“I would like to extend my gratitude to The Comer Foundation for their efforts in assisting students with scholarships,” said Lee Defee, WCCD Industrial Systems Technology instructor. “These opportunities allow our students to focus fully on a rigorous, hands-on education to develop the skills needed to troubleshoot and repair advanced machinery across industries such as manufacturing, food production, energy, and transportation. Because of this support, students can concentrate on mastering electrical systems, PLCs, robotics, mechanical systems, hydraulics, and precision measurement, building strong problem-solving abilities and preparing for high-wage, high-demand careers that keep the industry running both locally and nationwide.”

For more information about providing scholarship opportunities for students on the Sparks Campus, please contact Amy Rasberry at arasberry@wallace.edu.

About The Comer Foundation
Honoring its family legacy, The Comer Foundation’s mission is to support programs and institutions that improve access to and meaningful outcomes from primarily educational opportunities, benefiting individuals, communities, and the State of Alabama. Founded in 1946 as the Avondale Education and Charitable Foundation, Inc., The Comer Foundation is one of Alabama’s oldest grant-making foundations. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed $37 million in gross distributions (equivalent to $117 million in 2025 dollars) toward scholarships, educational initiatives, and other charitable purposes across the state, with a primary focus on communities in Jefferson, Barbour, and Talladega counties where Avondale Mills once operated.