When Dereck and Jacqueline Whittenburg started their foundation in 2015, the mission was simple: help students finish what they started. Ten years later, that mission has grown into one of the most consistent scholarship engines in the region.
The foundation marked its 10th anniversary in 2025 having awarded more than 200 scholarships and surpassed $1 million in support — much of it aimed at junior and senior college students, the years when money often runs short and the finish line is closest.
The milestone was celebrated with a sold-out anniversary gala and golf tournament, the kind of gathering that has become a fixture for a community that has rallied behind the Whittenburgs' work.
For Dereck, the through-line is familiar. The same belief that carried a broken-footed senior back onto the floor in 1983 now shows up in a quieter form — a bet that the right support at the right moment changes the outcome.