35-year Jack Parker legacy continues to grow, one scholar at a time

The impact that Jack B. Parker’s big heart, positive attitude and keen sense of duty had during his 44 years at Synovus was tremendous and longstanding. He often mentored new team members, as he loved teaching them the ropes of banking and the importance of client service and sales best practices.

After his retirement and death in 1988, Synovus honored him by creating a foundation in his name – the Jack B. Parker Foundation – to help team members’ children further their education.

The foundation, powered by generous donations from Synovus team members, awards yearly scholarships and keeps Parker’s legacy of investing in educating young adults growing and thriving. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to thousands of students.

Brandon Fields, the Jack B. Parker Foundation chairperson and The Family Office at Synovus vice president and senior advisor, says the foundation’s work aligns with his desire to help others reach their full potential and make sound financial decisions.

“I’m incredibly impressed with the students who apply each year,” the father of four shares. “The number of activities and pressure these kids take on is amazing.”

The foundation awards scholarships based on academic performance, extracurricular activities, awards and honors, leadership and community service. The top applicant receives recognition as a Jack Parker Scholar.

Fields also has a broader passion for helping team members extend their legacies by helping their children reach their higher education goals. “Being involved and providing for our team members in the form of scholarships for their children has been rewarding,” the University of Georgia graduate says.

Neha Nakirikanti, the 2023 Jack Parker Scholar, is a first-year student majoring in computer science at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She’s building a legacy of her own and has dreams of changing the landscape of educational opportunities for underserved people, starting in her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, with hopes of expanding to Atlanta.

She’s researching and studying how she can change the quality, equity and availability of education in underserved communities. And her generosity and caring started at home when she applied for the scholarship.

“My parents have done so much for me, so I wanted to make college and tuition expenses for my education a lot easier for them,” Neha Nakirikanti says.

Fields shares that what impressed judges most about Nakirikanti’s application were her stellar academic achievements, dedication, volunteerism and activism. According to her mother, Vedavathi Nakirikanti, Synovus information technology quality assure engineer, “My daughter has been hardworking and well-disciplined since childhood. She is a compassionate person, and she’s participated in and started several fundraising programs.”

“Winning the scholarship made me feel like the work I’ve done is needed and valued, so I feel encouraged to be more involved in Columbus, especially,” Neha Nakirikanti explains. “The platform the Jack B. Parker Foundation has given me to talk about my social justice work has encouraged me to help people in Columbus and Atlanta."

In April 2023, Neha Nakirikanta was chosen as the only Georgia representative to attend the Princeton Prize in Race Relations Symposium. She met like-minded students nationwide and engaged in meaningful discussions about race and race relations. She shared how attending the symposium and seeing fellow student activists motivated her mission.

“The [Princeton] experience cemented my passion and fight against educational inequalities and encouraged me to know that I was on the right path. Education is a gateway for securing equal opportunities for everyone,” Neha Nakirikanti says. “My goal is to help people break the cycle of poverty and rise above their current situations.”

According to Fields, helping team members with their children's college tuition and reaching their dreams is one of his most meaningful contributions to Synovus' purpose.

Learn more about how Synovus is enabling people to reach their full potential.