The Esslinger family has provided a generous gift of $25,000 to fund the W. Glenn Esslinger Scholarship Endowment over the next five years. William “Bill” G. Esslinger, Jr., and his wife, Debbie Esslinger, created the scholarship to honor the memory and commitment to education of Bill’s father and late UWG professor, Dr. W. Glenn Esslinger, Sr.
From left to right (top row) – Dr. Farooq Khan, Bill Esslinger, Debbie Esslinger, Dr. Spencer Slattery. From left to right (bottom row) – Will Esslinger and Belle Esslinger
Esslinger, Sr., originally from Huntsville, Alabama, was a chemistry professor at UWG from 1968 to 2000. Before UWG, he taught organic chemistry at Union University in Chattanooga, Tenn., from 1966 to 1968. The recipient of the scholarship must major in chemistry, maintain a 3.0 grade point average and be from Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Heard or Haralson counties.
Bill and Debbie, both UWG alumni, hope to continue the tradition of educational excellence set by Esslinger, Sr. “We are pleased to be able to do this, to make sure the legacy of my father lives on,” states Bill. “He was a professor for more than 30 years here at the University. He loved teaching, he loved the university, and he certainly loved the students. We are just pleased to be able to extend his legacy and provide this opportunity for students in the future.”
“I am honored to be a part of the process creating a scholarship endowment to honor the memory of my former colleague and mentor, professor W. Glenn Esslinger,” adds Dr. Farooq Khan, dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. “In all his endeavors, teaching, faculty-directed undergraduate research and advising, Glenn showed a deep commitment to students. The scholarship created by his family members in his name will benefit generations of students in the Department of Chemistry.”
“I will always remember Dr. Esslinger as a generous colleague and good friend who always had an open door,” says Dr. Spencer Slattery, chair of the Department of Chemistry. “Students knew they were always welcome to request his guidance in learning the challenging topic of organic chemistry.” His example of accessibility still persists in the chemistry department today.
Bill is the vice president, general counsel and secretary of Greenway Medical Technologies, Inc., in Carrollton. He and Debbie have three children: William “Will” G. Esslinger, III, 10; Isabelle “Belle” L. Esslinger, 7; and E. Grayson “Gray” Esslinger, 23 months.
