CHARLOTTE — Students in nine Catholic schools across the diocese will receive a total of $98,826 in financial aid from the C. Philip Johnston-Aline W. Kaneer Scholarship Fund, paying all their tuition for the 2022-’23 academic year.
The fund was created by Johnston with $4 million from his estate at his death in 2017.
Johnston was born in Charlotte but lived all over the country before retiring in the Southeast. He attended Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., and earned a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1958. He worked in the entertainment industry, but when acting work became scarce, he took a “temporary job” working for Conrad Hilton in a new credit card venture called Carte Blanche. He rose to success in the emerging industry and, after reaching the position of senior vice president at a large regional bank in St. Louis, he left to lead a nonprofit organization specializing in consumer credit counseling.
Students from all 20 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte are eligible for scholarship awards from the fund.
The Johnston Scholarship follows students throughout their time in schools in the Charlotte diocese.
The schools that students will attend this year are: Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville; Charlotte Catholic High School; Christ the King High School in Huntersville; Immaculate Heart of Mary School in High Point; Our Lady of Grace School in Greensboro; Our Lady of Mercy and St. Leo schools in Winston-Salem; Sacred Heart School in Salisbury; and St. Michael School in Gastonia.
The scholarship awarded to each student ranges from $1,800 to $15,000 depending on the tuition cost and need. Each student can continue receiving assistance through the scholarship fund every year for the length of their academic career as long as they remain eligible.
“I first met with Mr. Johnston back in 1989. He made his decision to put this (scholarship) gift in his estate back then,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “He never wavered from that commitment, even though he moved away from the diocese in his later years.”
Kelley noted, “More and more people across the diocese like Philip Johnston are recognizing a range of needs in the Church here in western North Carolina – including our Catholic schools, parishes, seminarian education, Catholic Charities and St. Joseph College Seminary – and remembering these ministries in their wills and estates.”
Since 1986, diocesan entities including parishes, schools and ministries have received 37 gifts of $1 million or more from individuals like Johnston. They typically help fund capital projects and endowments.
— Catholic News Herald
Learn more
Interested in establishing an endowment to benefit the Church in western North Carolina? Set up an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a gift of real estate or life insurance, cash or securities sufficient to set up an endowment, or a life income arrangement such as a trust or annuity.
For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
HUNTERSVILLE — The Christ the King Catholic High School community is getting its first glimpse of the new Fulford Athletic & Activity Complex.
The facility is taking shape with more than 1,458,000 pounds of concrete now having been poured and 83.3 tons of steel going up for the building’s supporting structure.
The 21,800-square-foot building will include a full-size court and two cross courts in the gymnasium, expanded seating for more than 720 spectators, men’s and women’s locker rooms for home and visiting teams, and athletic director and trainers’ offices.
The gymnasium will also be home to a full-size stage with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems for student performances and school-wide events.
This is the second major expansion in the high school’s 10-year history. The $6.6 million expansion project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
— SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Herald