Aspiring Students Receive First Richard T. Liddicoat Scholarships

By Mauricio Minotta

Recipients of the newly launched Richard T. Liddicoat Scholarship program, named for the Institute’s former chairman, were announced during the Industry Awards Presentation in Tucson by GIA Vice President of Education Brook Ellis.

Wayne E. Houser Jr. of Visalia, California, and Jeanie Hord-Bellows of Laguna Park, Texas, will each receive a full scholarship to the Graduate Gemologist program – Houser for the On Campus program and Hord-Bellows for Distance Education. Both scholarship winners were at the event and joined Ellis on stage to receive their award.

“Congratulations and best of luck in your studies at GIA,” Ellis said during the presentation, as he handed them a copy of GIA’s recent history book, A Legacy of Leadership.

A retired foreign service officer who spent many years in Thailand, Houser is also working toward becoming a certified paralegal. He became interested in gemology 20 years ago when he was a foreign service officer in Thailand. Hord-Bellows was inspired to complete her G.G. by her father, Bob Hord, who works in the gem industry. She plans to complete her studies before the end of the year.

“You do not know how excited I am,” Hord-Bellows said. “Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.”

GIA launched the Richard T. Liddicoat Scholarship Fund last fall to provide one student a year the opportunity to study in the Institute’s Graduate Gemologist program. The overwhelming response of nearly 200 donors in the campaign’s inaugural year, however, provided more funding than expected – more than $35,000 was raised – so it was decided that two scholarships should be awarded.

“The new Richard T. Liddicoat Scholarship campaign has exceeded our expectations. We hope this year’s success is indicative of what is to come in the next few years,” said Bev Ross, campaign manager for the RTL Scholarship Fund. “Wayne and Jeanie are the first of many worthy students who will fulfill their dream to become GIA graduates solely because of the support of many donors who believe in education. Many thanks go to those who donated to this worthy project.”

Two major contributions came in the form of $10,000 matching gifts, one each from K.R. Gems & Diamonds International and Platinum Guild International USA Jewelry, Inc., which also contributed to the success of the program.

“We are very grateful to our matching gift sponsors,” said Ellis, after inviting Rahul Parikh of K.R. Gems & Diamonds International and Michael O’Connor of Platinum Guild International USA Jewelry, Inc. to join him on stage. “Our thanks to these sponsors for supporting the first year of such a worthy scholarship program to honor the late Richard T. Liddicoat.”

Considered by many as the Father of Modern Gemology, Liddicoat had a profound influence on the gem and jewelry industry with major contributions in the areas of gemological education, diamond quality grading and research. The RTL Scholarship exemplifies the values Liddicoat demonstrated by example in his life’s work at GIA and his dedication to students.