A Family’s Tribute: Roberson Scholarship Honors a Father’s Legacy of Service and Skill
Pictured are siblings Trishonda Roberson (center), Hanks M. Roberson (back) and Latasha Roberson Manley (right)
Trishonda Roberson remembers her father, the late Hanks Roberson, as a man who never hesitated to help others. A self-taught and highly respected mechanic, he built a reputation not only for his skill but for his generosity.
“We saw our dad work hard,” Trishonda recalls. “He worked on cars for people who couldn’t afford to pay him. He was always about helping, about community, and about making sure people learned the trade.”
That care inspired Trishonda, her mother Gladys and her siblings to establish the Roberson Auto Repair Legacy Scholarship at 91ӣƵ. Their $500 gift will support a full-time student in the Automotive Systems Technology program. (The family plans to increase this amount at a later date). Applicants will submit a one-page essay describing their passion for automotive work, why they chose the field, and how the scholarship will shape their future.
“My dad always wanted to teach others the trades,” Trishonda says. “This scholarship is a way to support someone who shares that same interest.”
The family chose ECC not only because of its strong automotive program, but also because of Trishonda’s personal connection to the college. A Rocky Mount native, she completed several health sciences programs at ECC, including certified nursing assistant, licensed practical nurse and registered nursing.
“I wanted this scholarship at the school that shaped so much of my career,” she explains. “It was an easy decision.”
Today, Trishonda serves as a staff pastor at Word Tabernacle overseeing the Center of Community Transformation and Outreach. She also leads SHE Empowers, a nonprofit focused on the spiritual and emotional development of women and supporting women entrepreneurs. Reflecting her passion for women’s empowerment, she hopes the scholarship will encourage more women to enter the automotive field.
“A lot of my work centers on empowering women,” she says. “We see many men in auto mechanics, but not nearly as many women.”
For more information about the Roberson Auto Repair Legacy Scholarship, visit edgecombe.edu/scholarships, or call (252) 618-6526. Males are encouraged to apply as well.