Bank of Columbia Makes $20,000 Gift to Lindsey Wilson College

Donation supports Tommy D. Grider Endowed Scholarship and college operations.

by Duane Bonifer

COLUMBIA, Ky. (05/07/2025) — A gift to Lindsey Wilson College will strengthen educational opportunities for Adair County residents.

The Bank of Columbia has given $20,000 to Lindsey Wilson, which will be used to support a scholarship and the college's operating expenses.

"The Bank of Columbia is proud to support Lindsey Wilson College and honored to partner with the college to provide the opportunity for our local students to further their education after high school in obtaining a college degree right here in their hometown," said Bank of Columbia President and CEO Mark Dykes.

The Tommy D. Grider Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of the longtime Bank of Columbia board member, will receive $15,000 of the Bank of Columbia gift. The Grider Scholarship is given annually to an Adair County High School graduate pursuing a degree in business or finance.

The remaining $5,000 is an unrestricted gift to Lindsey Wilson.

"The economic impact Lindsey Wilson College has on Columbia and Adair County is, to say the least, more than significant," said Dykes. "The Bank of Columbia owners, its board members and employees pledge continued support of Lindsey Wilson College in our community."

A recent economic impact study by the Association of Kentucky Colleges and Universities showed that Lindsey Wilson's direct impact on the Adair County economy in 2021-22 was $91 million. The college, which graduated a record 1,733 students in 2024-25, is poised to become Lindsey Wilson University on July 1.

Lindsey Wilson President William T. Luckey Jr. said that a big reason the college is a major drive of the Columbia-Adair County economy is because of the local support it enjoys from area businesses.

"Since its founding in 1903, Lindsey Wilson has been committed to serving this region's educational needs, and a big reason we are able to do it so well is because of strong partners such as Bank of Columbia," said Luckey.

Lindsey Wilson College is a vibrant liberal arts college in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson -- which will become Lindsey Wilson University on July 1 -- has an enrollment of more than 4,000 students, and the college offers 28 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The college's 28 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.

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LWC Bank of Columbia

The Bank of Columbia presents $20,000 to Lindsey Wilson College. The gift will be used to support the Tommy D. Grider Endowed Scholarship and the college’s operating expenses. From left: Bank of Columbia Chief Financial Officer Ashley Roy, Bank of Columbia Chief Credit Officer Michelle Powell, Bank of Columbia President and CEO Mark Dykes, Lindsey Wilson President William T. Luckey Jr. and Lindsey Wilson Vice President of Administration and Finance Mark Coleman.

Lindsey Wilson University

Bank of Columbia Makes $20,000 Gift to Lindsey Wilson College

Donation supports Tommy D. Grider Endowed Scholarship and college operations.

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Lindsey Wilson College

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