Middle Tennessee State University recently awarded the FCM Cares' annual Andrew C. Rambo Memorial Scholarship to Murfreesboro native Katelyn (Katie) Gardner.

Gardner, the daughter of Joe and DeNise Gardner of Englewood, will graduate this month from Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor of business administration. She plans to use the scholarship toward an MBA degree, also from MTSU.

"This scholarship will allow me to be financially independent as well as pay for the remainder of my MBA program and personal training certification," Gardner says. "That enables me to not have to take out student loans and to graduate debt-free, which I know is a rare and wonderful circumstance in today's world."

Gardner anticipates graduating in August 2022, after which she hopes to pursue a career in B2B sales and eventually start her own business.

"We are proud of Katie; her hard work thus far and the clear vision she has about earning an advanced degree, working as a personal trainer while doing so and having a career plan in mind," says Keith Canter, chairman and president of FCM Cares and CEO of First Community Mortgage. It's a bonus that Katie loves being an MTSU Blue Raider so much that she is sticking around to do her graduate work there."

Now in its fifth year, the Andrew C. Rambo Memorial Scholarship was established by FCM Cares Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization. Rambo was board chair of First Community Bank and board member of First Community Mortgage.

To learn more about the Rambo Scholarship and FCM Cares, visit www.FCMCares.org

"Andy Rambo served his community in many ways and cared about giving back to his community," Canter says. "This is why FCM Cares was proud to create the scholarship in his honor, helping others who also are always wanting to learn and help others. We're proud to reach this milestone, awarding Andy's scholarship for the fifth year."