Napoleon Hill Foundation announces new scholarship

The Napoleon Hill Foundation and its executive director, Don M. Green, have announced the establishment of the Florene Finn Stovall Napoleon Hill Foundation Scholarship at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. The scholarship honors the memory of Olympic weightlifting champion and author Jim Stovall’s mother.

The Stovall Scholarship will be awarded to students who have a deep appreciation and love of music.

Florene Finn Stovall, mother of four, was known for her deep appreciation and interest in music. She began piano lessons at the age of 6 and continued well into her later years. She volunteered over the course of 27 years playing piano for church services and coordinating talent shows for University Village Retirement Community in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Stovall family’s connection with The Napoleon Hill Foundation began years ago with a friendship between Green and Florene’s son, Jim Stovall. The Foundation went on to compile a series of articles written by Jim, in the Wisdom for Winners book series published by Sound Wisdom. Stovall was also the featured speaker for The Napoleon Hill Day in 2016.

Jim Stovall has been an investment broker, President of the Emmy Award-winning Narrative Television Network and platform speaker.  He has authored more than 40 books, including the bestseller, The Ultimate Gift, which became a major motion picture from 20th Century Fox starring James Garner and Abigail Breslin. Five additional novels have been made into movies.

For his work in making television accessible to our nation’s 13 million blind and visually impaired people, The President’s Committee on Equal Opportunity selected Jim Stovall as the Entrepreneur of the Year.  Stovall has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes magazine, USA Today and has been seen on Good Morning America, CNN and CBS Evening News.  He was chosen as the International Humanitarian of the Year, joining Jimmy Carter, Nancy Reagan, and canonized Saint Teresa of Calcutta as recipients of this honor.

Steve Forbes, president and CEO of Forbes magazine, said, “Jim Stovall is one of the most extraordinary men of our era.” More recently, he presented a $1.5 million donation to Oral Roberts University, his alma mater, to help create the Stovall Center for Entrepreneurship.

“Because of our partnership and appreciation for Jim’s work, it only seems right to establish this scholarship in Florene’s honor,” said Green. “Jim has been so helpful to the Foundation and recognizes the value education has, that I can think of no better way to memorialize his mother.”

Green has worked to establish several scholarships at UVA Wise during his time as executive director and is responsible for initiating more than one million dollars in endowed gifts and scholarship to the College.

Florene Finn Stovall died November 30, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her husband of 67 years, George; son, Jim and wife Crystal, of Tulsa; son, Bob and wife Lisa of Springfield, Missouri; grandson, Brad Stovall of Springfield, Missouri; granddaughter, Lauren Ward and husband Ryan of Springfield, Missouri; and her brother, Gene and wife Norma of Sarasota, Florida survive her.

Gifts may be made in memory of Florene Stovall through the UVA Wise Foundation, 1 College Avenue, Wise, Virginia. Gifts may also be made online at www.giving.virginia.edu/wise noting that it is in memory of Florene Finn Stovall. For more information, please contact the Office of Advancement at 276/376-4523.