November 3, 2025
Gainesville, Ga—The Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation, Inc. who is known for
championing education in Hall County, Georgia has announced a one million and twenty-five
thousand-dollar donation to “step up” Lanier Technical College program offerings and to provide
credential-saving scholarships to students in need.
Per the signed agreement, $500,000 will be awarded to the Auto Collision Technology, Diesel
Equipment Technology, Nurse Aid and the Welding and Joining Technology Lanier Tech Dual
Enrollment Programs. The aforementioned Lanier Tech academic programs are located at Ivester
Early College, Ivester North and Lanier College and Career Academy (LCCA). This funding is
planned to cover program costs including instructor salaries, program supplies and basic equipment.
The academic programs are scheduled to receive this funding as of December 1, 2025.
Additionally, the remaining $500,000 of this generous donation will be placed into the Lanier
Technical College Foundation for a Scholarship Endowment Fund to be officially named the “Tim
McDonald Scholarship “. This scholarship is named after Lanier Tech’s eighth President, Tim
McDonald. With the annual endowment growth over time, the Ivester Foundation desires that
individual scholarships of up to $1,000 be awarded annually to students with a tuition, supply, book,
and/or fee balance due to the college.
Concurrently, The Ivester Foundation has agreed to make an additional one-time donation of $25,000
to fund the initial Tim McDonald Scholarships in 2026. The funding from the Tim McDonald
Scholarship will be made available to awardees on January 1, 2026.
Mr. Ivester of the Ivester Foundation expressed great excitement upon the signing of this agreement:
“We have long observed the contributions of Tim McDonald, President of Lanier Tech. He is
greatly committed to the success of the students of Lanier Tech, and he has worked tirelessly
to make Lanier Tech a model for “Workforce Development” in the Gainesville / Hall County
area. We are honored to participate in the establishment of the Tim McDonald Scholars
Program. Under the Program, Tim McDonald Scholars will be named each year and will
receive a scholarship to help meet their financial needs. We expect the Tim McDonald Scholars
will contribute to the Gainesville / Hall County Community for many years to come.”
Lanier Tech President, Tim McDonald, took a moment after the signing of this agreement to reflect on
this great day:
“I continually see great potential in the rising students of the Gainesville / Hall County area.
I’ve never been more excited to see what the future holds for our college, our students and our
community. Having educational partners in our area such as the Ivesters makes me proud to
have a part in educating the future workforce. Words can’t express how humbling it is to have
the Tim McDonald Scholars Program on board, as we charge towards another successful year
at Lanier Technical College.”
Photo Captioned from Left to Right:
“Brian Rochester, Ivester Foundation Board Member
Swinton Griffith III, Ivester Foundation Board Member
Tim McDonald, Lanier Technical College President
Lynn J. Darby, President of the Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation Inc.”
To learn more about Lanier Tech and its program offerings, please visit: https://www.laniertech.edu/programs/
Media Contact: Thomas Murphy, Assistant Director of Marketing, 678-480-2518 or tmurphy13@laniertech.edu
About the Technical College System of Georgia
The 22 colleges of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) are Georgia’s top resource for skilled workers. TCSG offers world-class training in more than 600 associate degree, diploma, and certificate programs to students who are trained on state-of-the-art equipment by instructors who are experts in their fields. The system also houses Georgia’s Office of Adult Education, which promotes and provides adult literacy and education programs, including the GED® testing program, throughout the state. In addition, TCSG partners with companies through Quick Start, the nation’s top customized workforce training program, and through its colleges, which work with local industry to provide workforce and training solutions. For more information, visit TCSG.edu.
