Before Bekah Cochran was the leader of the Bekah Cochran Team at Keller Williams Greater Downtown Realty, she was Bekah Dalton, a senior at McMinn County High School in Athens.
She also was the recipient of several college scholarships that “gave [her] the wings [she] needed to fly,” she says.
In May, Cochran provided two McMinn County High School seniors – Caroline Jaquish and Keely Blair McDonald – with feathers for their wings during the school’s annual senior night event.
Each scholarship included $1,000 and Cochran’s blessing to apply the funds to any facet of their college education.
Jaquish says she intends to study pre-veterinary science at Tennessee Tech University’s School of Agriculture in Cookeville.
“I’ve always wanted to use my knowledge to serve others in any way I can. With the help of scholarships like this, I can achieve my goals.”
McDonald, who hopes to become a dentist, plans to study dental hygiene at Tennessee Wesleyan University in Athens.
She says the scholarship provides not just help but also hope after a challenging year for her family.
“Both of my parents are hard-working educators. However, being single parents ... and meeting the needs of three children can be a hassle on a teacher’s salary. This scholarship means so much to my family and me.”
Cochran fashioned the criteria for the $1,000 subsidy after her teenage self. While a student at McMinn High School, she maintained a high grade-point average, held down multiple jobs, volunteered with the Special Olympics and joined mission trips as a part of her church’s youth group.
Cochran says she and her team chose the two seniors who most reminded them of her in terms of their academic achievements and school and community involvement.
“Out of all the candidates, they best reflected who I was in high school and who I’m hoping to help,” Cochran says. “They’re very well rounded.”
Cochran awards the Busy Bekah Scholarship annually to a senior at her alma mater. She provided two scholarships this year after sitting out 2020 due to the pandemic.
She launched the grant in 2019 after she and her husband, Clay Cochran of Jody Millard Pest Control, decided it was time give back.
“I thought, ‘How cool would it be for me to start a scholarship?’”
Cochran says her motto is “Living the dream.” The scholarship is her way of helping the recipients someday live theirs.
“I try to live each day with presence,” she says. “Just like my family and community set the example for me, I hope to set an example for others.”