Wallace State conference center named in honor of Dr. William F. Peinhardt

Cullman Savings Bank Foundation pledges $250,000 for scholarships
HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College unveiled a new name for the conference center located in the School of Nursing and Center for Science, as well as new scholarship opportunities for area students. The Dr. William F. Peinhardt Conference Center is the new name of the 500-seat facility, thanks to a $250,000 pledge by the Cullman Savings Bank Foundation.
The unveiling was a surprise to Dr. Peinhardt, who is a member of the Cullman Savings Bank Board of Directors and the Cullman Savings Bank Foundation. “I thought the bank donated money and we were here for a tour,” Dr. Peinhardt said.  “I’m very humbled and thankful.”
John Riley, President and CEO of Cullman Savings Bank, said Dr. Peinhardt is particularly deserving of the honor given the physician’s efforts in giving back to the community over the years. “He’s an example of a man who uses his standing in the community as a way to give back and make a difference,” Riley said.
Cullman Savings Bank is a longtime supporter of the college, having provided more than $100,000 in scholarships to area students over the years. “We have somewhere between 10 and 13 students we’re helping go to school here,” Riley said of current scholarship recipients. Their scholarships are geared toward students who might otherwise fall through the gap between financial need and academic scholarships. He said they work with high school counselors to help identify students whose parents may make too much money to qualify for federal aid and may be a bit short on grades to qualify for scholarships.
“We saw an opportunity to give a little extra money to the Wallace State Future Foundation, so we agreed to give $250,000 over the next five years,” Riley said, adding they took the opportunity to name the conference center in honor of Dr. Peinhardt.
“We are proud to be a part of this,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics, who said Dr. Peinhardt is a member of the “greatest generation” who has contributed so much to the local community.
“We’re proud to serve the community, proud to carry on the vision that was begun here in the ’60s for what a college could do in Cullman County, and we hope to continue that tradition and improve upon it every year,” she said prior to the unveiling.
For more information about Wallace State Community College visit www.wallacestate.edu or call 256.352.8000. For more information about the Wallace State Future Foundation visit www.wsccfuturefoundation.org or call 256.352.8144. Applications for Future Foundation Scholarships for 2018-2019 will be accepted Feb. 1 through March 23, 2018.