: Dr. Sue Head, vice president for cultural activities and institutional advancement, invites featured speaker Trudy Cathy White, daughter of Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy, to the stage to help recognize Becky Roberts of Forsyth as this year’s Ozarks Women in Leadership Honoree at the biannual OWL Scholarship Luncheon.

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. — College of the Ozarks hosted the biannual Ozarks Women in Leadership (OWL) Scholarship Luncheon on Thursday, April 9, at The Keeter Center. The luncheon brings women together to encourage leadership and foster connections in support of needed room and board scholarships that will enable College of the Ozarks female students to seek and fulfill summer internship opportunities.  

This year’s luncheon featured keynote speaker Trudy Cathy White, daughter of Chick-fil-A founder and influential leader Truett Cathy. The program also recognized this year’s OWL Leadership Award Honoree, Becky Roberts of Forsyth, and awarded students Melaina Wilson of Willow Springs and Serenity Porch of Poplar Bluff with the first scholarship awards generated out of a newly established John & Marge Driver OWL Room and Board Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Trudy Cathy White delivered remarks based on the themes of her recent book, “A Legacy That Lasts,” sharing that after taking a year off from college, she became the first female Chick-fil-A operator, at the age of 19, in Birmingham, Alabama. White spoke about the importance of hard work and serving with intention, and shared an endearing story about hiring John White, whom she eventually married.

Together, the Whites invested 20 years in service to missions, including the International Mission Board, where they served as missionaries in Brazil. Later, the Whites founded Lifeshape, Impact 360 Institute, and supported WinShape Camps for Girls, a summer camp founded by White’s parents in 1985.

“We are all guided by our values, which become the filter for our decision-making,” White said. “When you identify those values, you can be more intentional in how you live and make the most of every opportunity you’ve been given. Then when you begin to live out your values, you can make a difference in the people around you. You have the opportunity to change the culture of your family and influence the next generation.”

John and Trudy have been married for more than 40 years. Together, they have four children and 17 grandchildren.

Ozarks Women in Leadership Award

The OWL Leadership Award celebrates outstanding leadership contributions from women who demonstrate a deep commitment to making a lasting, positive difference in the lives of those around them and embody the College’s core values to steward faithfully, create community, pursue good, practice hospitality, and show gratitude.

This year’s recipient is Becky Gideon Roberts, granddaughter of Joseph Gideon, the first graduate of The School of the Ozarks in 1913, at the school’s original location in Forsyth. Roberts has served in roles with the Skaggs Foundation, the White River Valley Historical Society, the Daughters of the American Revolution, College of the Ozarks Associates, Community Presbyterian Church, Boys and Girls Club of the Ozarks, and the Missouri State Tourism Commission, among others.

She spent 22 years in the banking industry and earned Pinnacle awards for regional sales achievement. Roberts owned her own small business, opened the first Missouri Department of Revenue office in Forsyth, and served as a regional manager across multiple licensed bureaus in Southwest Missouri.

Roberts and her husband have been married for 52 years, and together they have two adult children and six grandchildren.

“In what others best describe as her ‘passion’ in leaving an indelible mark, her unwavering commitment to volunteerism motivates others to follow her example of generosity, compassion, and leadership to preserve our nation and community's history for future generations,” shared Dr. Sue Head, vice president for cultural activities and institutional advancement.

“Here at the College, we've experienced this leader's gracious spirit firsthand through an abundance of handwritten notes of gratitude — a hallmark of her character and her commitment to recognizing others. With a heart rooted in service, she has dedicated her life to enriching Taney County, the greater Ozarks region, and the state of Missouri.”

College of the Ozarks staff, Dr. Sue Head, Candace Stark, Jeff Ford, and Dr. Marci Linson join students Melaina Wilson and Serenity Porch to celebrate them as recipients of OWL Scholarships at the OWL Scholarship Luncheon. OWL Scholarships are awarded by a board to female students who apply and demonstrate need in addition to academic excellence and leadership at College of the Ozarks.

Driver OWL Room & Board Endowed Scholarship Fund

Melaina Wilson, junior animal science major, became the first-ever recipient of the OWL Room & Board Endowed Scholarship. This summer, Melaina will be serving as an intern at Dickerson Zoo in Springfield, Missouri.

An OWL Room & Board Endowed Scholarship represents the one available $10,000 scholarship currently generated out of the endowment fund’s annual earnings to create a source for a full year of room and board support to an eligible and deserving female student pursuing a confirmed career-enhancing summer academic internship. 

The start of this fund was generously gifted by John and Marge Driver, a generous Christian couple who practiced giving back to causes for the betterment of their community. Marjorie was a lifelong educator, earning a Ph.D. and teaching as a professor at the University of Guam. Funding scholarships through the Ozarks Women in Leadership program was perfectly aligned for support by the Drivers. 

OWL Immediate Impact Scholarships

Serenity Porch, senior public relations major, is the first recipient of an OWL Immediate Impact Scholarship. This summer, Porch will be working as a government affairs and public policy intern with Concerned Women for America in Washington, D.C.

An OWL Immediate Impact Scholarship represents a gift of any amount that contributes to a direct and immediate source of room and board support to an eligible and deserving female student pursuing a confirmed career-enhancing summer academic internship.

A differentiating factor between the types of OWL scholarships is that the endowed fund grows over time, in perpetuity, while an immediate impact scholarship is awarded and used within the next year.

To learn more about the Ozarks Women in Leadership, please contact Abigail Buschman, director of development, at (417) 690-2209.

For more information, contact the College of the Ozarks Public Relations Office at (417) 690-2212.