Giving Back Is The Greatest Gift of All
King alum Anthony Perrigan remembers his grandfather would take long walks from his Fairmount neighborhood to the soccer field at King University and got great pleasure from watching soccer games. “He was a man whose life was exemplary in every way and helped shape my character and belief.”
Anthony had initially been accepted to attend ETSU but couldn’t go because of financial constraints. “I vividly remember the day someone from King called and asked if I would be interested in attending King. I had been around the school all my life and knew people affiliated with the school,” Anthony said.
He explained to the representative that his family didn’t have the money for him to attend school. “They responded that based on a referral I received from my High School, they would provide the necessary aid for me to attend. My mother and I drove to King soon after that for a visit and decided the best thing for me to do was attend King,” Anthony.
Anthony was looking for a school that provided students with the opportunities to become successful. “I studied hard and earned additional aid to finish school,” Anthony explains. He learned early on that to achieve required you to study and work hard. And you also had to go for it, take that chance. While in school, he tried out for the soccer team and earned a place on the roster. Referring to his time on the team, “It led me to build relationships that to this day are still some of my very best friends.”
While at King attending the Bible classes of Dr. Anderson and Cowart, Anthony began his Christian walk. Each new life experience and the guidance he received from faculty and staff prepared him for the world beyond school. “The values and education I received at King helped me to rise above my circumstances and achieve things in this life I never thought possible.” It was for this reason that Anthony started the Lindsey Bright Memorial Scholarship, named after his beloved grandfather, to help other young kids rise above their stations in life to accomplish great ventures. Giving back is the greatest gift of all. Generous people like Anthony keep institutions like King able to thrive and continue providing students with opportunities to become more successful than they may have ever imagined. Thank you, Anthony.