A Family’s Legacy of Love, Service, and Leadership

The Oliver Family Memorial Scholarship is more than a financial award—it’s a story of unwavering dedication, perseverance, and love. It honors the lives of Fred Oliver, a devoted educator and community leader, and his daughter, Audra Nicole Oliver, a beloved teacher and mentor whose strength inspired many.

Fred Oliver: A Champion for Youth

Fred Oliver dedicated his life to education and service. As Assistant Superintendent for the Fayette County School System and a founding board member of AVPRIDE, Fred made a lasting impact. From 1998 to 2013, he was a guiding force—offering space for board meetings, supplying computers, sharing reading materials, and writing countless letters of support for youth programs.

“Fred was wonderful and instrumental in so many ways,” recalled AVPRIDE co-founder Dawn Oparah. “If it could be done, he found a way to do it.”
Co-founder Sheila Pace added, “He was all about the kids. Whatever was needed, he made sure the children were taken care of.”

Fred Oliver passed away on March 1, 2019, but his legacy continues through every student touched by this scholarship.

Audra Nicole Oliver: Strength and Spirit

In 2002, Fred and his wife Mae created the scholarship to honor their daughter, Audra Nicole Oliver. Despite being born with sickle cell anemia, Audra was a force of compassion, determination, and joy. A graduate of Floyd College and Chattahoochee Technical College, she pursued her love of children as an elementary school teacher and served proudly as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Audra inspired many, especially youth living with sickle cell disease. From her hospital bed, she even sold gospel CDs for her cousin, saying simply, “I love my little cousin and I want to help her spread God’s word through song.”

She worked for the Fayette County Board of Education until her health declined and transitioned from this life on February 3, 2002, at just 32 years old. Her life, though short, was full of love, faith, and service.

A Scholarship Rooted in Purpose

Since its founding, the Oliver Family Memorial Scholarship has awarded over $10,000 to Fayette County seniors who embody the values Audra and Fred lived by—perseverance, leadership, service to others, and academic achievement. In 2019, the scholarship was revived and renamed in their memory, ensuring their legacy lives on through future generations.

The goal is to one day endow the scholarship, so it can be awarded annually in perpetuity.

Oliver Family Memorial Scholarship Criteria