Austin Peay State University student Derek Nicholson awarded scholarship by Goodwill

Nashville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) student Derek Nicholson was honored earlier this week during the Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee’s Impact Breakfast Awards, where he received the David B. Lifsey Scholarship.

The awards breakfast, emceed by NewsChannel 5 Anchor Rhori Johnston, recognized outstanding Goodwill employees and clients who achieved success through perseverance and the power of work.    

The David B. Lifsey Scholarship, sponsored by Diversified Trust, is named for Goodwill’s past president who served four decades. It is presented to a Goodwill training program graduate who plans to enroll, or has enrolled, in post-secondary education or a credentialed certification program.

As a junior at Hillwood High School in North Nashville, Nicholson had dreams of getting out of public housing and becoming an entrepreneur — but he knew he would need help. One day, a Goodwill employee visited his school, handing out information about Opportunity Now — Nashville’s youth employment initiative.

Nicholson applied, and in June of 2017 he began a paid internship in the Marketing Department at Goodwill. Despite having to work a second job at a restaurant to help support his family, he excelled in the program.

The experience opened his eyes to educational opportunities and possible career paths. It also got him noticed, and soon after Nicholson was appointed to the Mayor’s Youth Council.

Today, he is an APSU marketing student and a student in Goodwill’s Facebook Social Media Marketing Certificate program. A video, provided by Goodwill, is shown above.