This scholarship is intended for LCCC and UP students with documented disabilities who are registered with the LCCC Accessibility Services Office.
This scholarship was establish in memory of Richard McLaughlin and Gracie Wagner James.
Richard was married to Betty McLaughlin for 60 years. Together, they had four children. Richard was an attorney in Youngstown Ohio and he believed in equal rights for all people. He was an activist and worked to promote social justice. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King in Washington DC and was in the audience for the “I Have a Dream” Speech. Richard deeply valued education and worked hard to pay for his high school, college and law school tuition. He believed in maintaining a strong work ethic and if you do not succeed the first time- then try again. Never Give Up.
Gracie was married to Carl James and she was the mother to Charlotte Wagner. Oh, did she love Charlotte and Carl! Gracie was like the sunshine. She emitted rays of hope to those who needed it most. Gracie defined what a true friend is and she gave her unconditional love to those friends. The quote by Lauren Monroe sums up Gracie perfectly: Grace is like a blanket of hope that covers you at night when you think you don’t have what it takes to get up in the morning. Gracie was an advocate for students with disabilities and she had great respect for the Office of Accessibility Services here at Lorain County Community College.