Donald Kollarik recently established the Reverend (Colonel) Mary Lou Morris Kollarik
and Colonel Donald Martin Kollarik Scholarship and Annual Restricted Scholarship. The scholarship will provide an annual award to one senior in Reserve Officer Training
Corps (ROTC) and who is eligible for commissioning into any branch of the military
following graduation. First preference will be given to someone within the College of Education.
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA — To honor his wife's time at Winthrop University and their
military careers, Donald Kollarik recently established the Reverend (Colonel) Mary
Lou Morris Kollarik and Colonel Donald Martin Kollarik Scholarship and Annual Restricted
Scholarship.
In addition to honoring Mary, who graduated in 1968, Donald also wanted the scholarship
to honor the memories of Mary's parents, William and Carola Richardson Morris; his
parents, John and Florine Stanford Kollarik; Mary's great-great-great-great uncle,
Rev. Simon Peter Richardson; and Mary's Winthrop roommate, the late Mary Nell Banks
Hunt '68.
During her junior year at Winthrop, Mary Kollarik enrolled in the U.S. Army's College Junior Program, a program which aimed to increase the number of women officers in the Army. She
became a commissioned officer in 1968 and was stationed at Fort Eustis, Virginia,
where she met, and married, Donald, who was also in the Army.
The two moved up the ranks and were eventually both promoted to the rank of Colonel at the same time, a rare feat for a husband and wife during the Vietnam era.
Towards the end of her career, Mary, a graduate of the Army War College, taught the Army Officer Advanced Course and Command and General Staff Officer Course
in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Buffalo, New York and Atlanta, Georgia. She also served
on many Army promotion boards.
After retiring from the Army, Mary attended and graduated from Emory University's
Candler School of Theology and three years later became an ordained Methodist minister. She spent her time as senior pastor in Griffin and Augusta, Georgia, churches.
Now retired from the ministry, she substitute preaches, when called upon, for area
small churches.
"Mary was a born teacher," said Donald. "Her reputation as a wonderful teacher followed
her wherever she went in the military and in her ministry. She is a humble person
and doesn't like to talk much about her accomplishments, so this scholarship celebrates
her, her love of teaching and the time that she spent at Winthrop, which laid the
groundwork for her wonderful career."
The scholarship will provide an annual award to one senior in Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and who is eligible for commissioning into any branch of the military following graduation.
First preference will be given to someone within the College of Education; second preference will be given to someone majoring in computer information systems
within the College of Business Administration.
