UWG
News Item
Contact: University Communications & Marketing
Phone (678) 839-6464, FAX (678) 839-6645
ucm@westga.edu
Cary Ichter Presidential Scholarship established
March 4, 2004
CARROLLTON, GA - The debate program at the University of West Georgia received a tremendous financial boost when a former debater established the Cary Ichter Presidential Scholarship to be awarded to a deserving student who is an active member of the University’s debate team.
Ichter,
’81 UWG graduate, is a partner with the law firm Balch & Bingham
in Atlanta. He established the fund with an initial gift of $10,000 and
the first scholarship will be awarded when the fund reaches $50,000 over
a five-year period.
Mike Hester, UWG director of debate, is very appreciative of Ichter’s tremendous gift.
“We are thrilled to have alumni such as Cary Ichter willing to support UWG Debate,” he said. “This particular scholarship will allow us to compete for the best and brightest students across the nation. Presidential Scholarships are both symbolically prestigious and financially significant.”
Ichter said he wanted to help perpetuate UWG’s debate program, not only the excellent reputation but also provide opportunities for debaters to hone their skills to become successful attorneys.
“Debating in college confirmed my desire to be a lawyer,” Ichter noted. “Somewhat like a college athlete, I turned ‘pro’ by becoming a lawyer after spending four year in college debate.”
Ichter expressed his gratitude toward retired debate coach Dr. Chester Gibson for “teaching us to think on our feet, be analytical, and to communicate effectively.”
“We all knew his one rule – win or you don’t get a ride home,” he said with a laugh.
Following his graduation from UWG, Ichter attended the University of Georgia Law School where he graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif (top 10 percent of the law school class) in 1984. While at UGA, he served as executive research editor of the Georgia Law Review.
Ichter is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Georgia, the Atlanta Bar Association and the Lawyers Club of Atlanta. He was listed in “Best Lawyers in America” in 2002-03.
An avid runner, Ichter organized the Runners CARE Race and raised $12,500 in 2001 for CARE, the international relief organization. He has studied martial arts for over a decade and is CEO for All Pro Karate, Inc.
The Cary Ichter Presidential Scholarship will be awarded annually by the scholarship committee within the Mass Communications Department. The recipient, a member of the UWG debate team, must have a 3.5 minimum grade point average and a combined SAT score of 1200.
For more information on this scholarship fund, contact the UWG Foundation at 770-836-6582.
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