Brent Collinson

Brent Collinson grew up just a few miles from Furman's campus, but he did not have to look past his family's own home to get a glimpse of the university, its history, and his mother's love for Furman. In 1965, Brent's parents Harry and June Collinson built a new home incorporating brick from the old Furman Bell Tower, which was originally constructed in 1854. The commemorative plaque on their property, however, was just one indicator of June's long-standing love for Furman.

June Williams Collinson Gibson '40, a Greenville native, originally enrolled at Greenville Women's College. She attended Greenville Women's College through the merger with Furman University in 1938 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Furman in 1940. After graduation, she worked for the Furman Alumni Association for several years, leading the publicity efforts surrounding the consolidation of Greenville Women's College and Furman and serving as the editor of the alumni magazine. Even after her employment, she included Furman in her myriad of community service activities, including serving as a volunteer and board member for the Alumni Association. Beyond her time and service, June also made philanthropic gifts to support the university throughout her lifetime.

As he grew up, Brent observed his mother's passion for Furman and her dedication to supporting the university however she could, and it imprinted on him. After June's death in 2006, Brent began to explore ways to honor her memory, and he knew that Furman should be included somehow. He ultimately decided a scholarship in June's name would be the best way to pay tribute to his mother, and he worked with the Office of Planned Giving to establish an estate gift to create the scholarship.

Brent passed away in 2024, and his planned gift funded the June Williams Collinson Gibson '40 Endowed Scholarship. This scholarship will not only provide need-based aid for Furman students for the life of the university, but it also honors the example of selfless giving that June embodied throughout her life. A mother's example replicated through a son's love has created a family legacy that will create new opportunities for Furman students for generations to come.