Jim and Millie Briley were born and raised in rural North Carolina. Their families were very poor. Both of them had to quit school in order to help with the farm and household work. When he was of age, Jim joined the USAF. While on leave, they were married. Jim was sent to Hawaii twenty days later. After six months, Jim borrowed money in order for Millie to join him there. While living in Hawaii, Jim decided to change career fields within the USAF. He applied and was accepted into the Information Services career field.
Jim was able to complete high school and attempted to go to college. That proved to be virtually impossible because every time he enrolled in a college course, he was sent somewhere on temporary duty. Of course, he had to drop out of the course and start over again. Millie was able to complete her high school.
After twelve years, Jim decided to leave the USAF and moved to Fort Worth, Texas. He got a job with a wholesale food distributor. He was able to attend college at night and earned his degree. After seven years he resigned his job and got a job in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a regional retail grocery company.
Jim enjoyed a very prosperous career and rose to the position of vice president. Eventually, he left the retail grocery company and worked as a computer consultant where he designed and implemented an integrated case management system to run at the county Social Services Department. The system was very successful.
Jim and Millie recognized the importance of education and wanted to help other struggling individuals in their pursuit of a formal education. Because they were so incredibly blessed, in May of 1997, they established the Jim and Millie Briley Endowment Fund in order to share some of their success. Proceeds from this endowment are used to fund the Jim and Millie Briley Scholarship Fund.
The Jim and Millie Scholarship Fund provides two scholarship grants each year. One is for a ministerial student and the second is for an under resourced student. In any given year, a student may only apply for one of these grants. If an application is received for both of the scholarship grants from the same student in a given year, both applications will be discarded.
