Endowment honors memory of Dr. Tom Nicholson | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

    Students pursing medical fields at Beaufort County Community College will receive financial assistance in the future thanks to an endowment created in memory of a prominent Washington physician - Dr. Tom Nicholson.

    The endowment will generate funds for a scholarship that will be available to students beginning in the Fall 2015 semester, according to Foundation Director Judy Meier Jennette.

    It was established by Nicholson's wife, Sue, of Bath; his children, Westray, of Greenville, Marshall, of Dunwoody, Ga., and John, of Chapel Hill, along with his family and friends.

    "The BCCC Foundation appreciates the generosity of Tom Nicholson's family and friends in creating this scholarship in his memory," said Jennette. "Sue and Tom Nicholson have been friends of the college and education for many years and this scholarship will make a significant difference in the lives of students who are interested in a career in medicine - a profession which Tom Nicholson loved very much."

    Through his involvement with Tayloe's Hospital Pharmacy, Nicholson was among those who were instrumental in establishing the Tayloe's Hospital Pharmacy Scholarship which has awarded almost $100,000 to students at BCCC over the years.

    Sue Nicholson has served on the BCCC Foundation Board of Directors for more than 15 years and has been an active volunteer at Foundation events.

    A native of Washington, Nicholson was born in 1943 and died earlier this year.

    He was a graduate of Rocky Mount High School and of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned his doctor of medicine degree in 1970 from the UNC School of Medicine and subsequently attended the University of Oklahoma where he completed an internship and residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in cardiology.

    Nicholson was a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy and head of Internal Medicine at the Port Hueneme Naval Hospital in California.

    Following his military service, he returned home to Washington in 1976 to join Pamlico Internal Medicine, where he practiced medicine for 34 years and where he treated his patients like his family.

    That love is represented by a comment from one of Nicholson's patients, Charlene Alligood.

    "With the passing of Dr. Tom Nicholson, I not only lost a good doctor but a dear friend. He was always there to answer my questions and assure me that I would be fine," she said. "So I share his loss along with his family."

    Throughout his career, Nicholson was active in many educational and professional organizations. He served as Chief of Staff at Beaufort County Hospital and was Chairman of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee for many years. He was a lifetime member of the North Carolina Medical Society as well as President of both the Pamlico Albemarle Medical Society and the Seaboard Medical Society. In addition, Dr. Nicholson served as medical director of Britthaven Services in Washington for many years. He was also a devoted fan of Carolina athletics.

    For more information on establishing a memorial scholarship, contact the BCCC Foundation at 940-6326. To learn more about the numerous scholarships available at BCCC, contact the Financial Aid office at 940-6222.

    Beaufort County Community College is a public comprehensive community college committed to accessible and affordable quality education, effective teaching, relevant training, and lifelong learning opportunities for the people served by the College.