Lexa student Erin Wallace wins Helena Industries scholarship at PCCUA

Erin Wallace of Lexa won Helena Industries’ two-year scholarship at Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas in Helena, giving her a $500 boost each fall and spring semester while she works toward a business administration degree.

The award covers two academic years as long as Wallace keeps a 2.5 cumulative GPA. PCCUA says applicants must have at least a 2.5 high school GPA, be well-rounded and enroll full time, and scholarship materials add that Helena Industries recipients must take at least 15 credit hours each semester. The foundation scholarship listing says the award is open to first-time PCCUA students majoring in agriculture, biology, business, math or science.

That makes Wallace’s scholarship more than tuition help. For a Lexa student, it creates a local route into college without leaving Phillips County and points toward office, bookkeeping and business jobs that can be found in Helena-West Helena and across the Delta. A student who starts at PCCUA can stay tied to the county’s employers while building credentials in a field that fits the region’s small businesses, plants and service offices.

PCCUA posted Wallace’s scholarship announcement on April 21, 2026. The college said the Helena-West Helena campus dates to 1966, and PCCUA serves students from Helena-West Helena, DeWitt and Stuttgart across its multi-campus system.

Helena Industries, which describes itself as a chemical manufacturing company and one of the largest contract chemical manufacturers in the United States, is backing a pipeline that benefits both sides. The company gains a visible way to invest in local talent, while PCCUA gets another employer-linked scholarship that can help keep educated workers in Phillips County after graduation. Helena Agri-Enterprises says the Helena business traces its roots to West Helena in 1957, underscoring how long that local connection has been part of the county’s economy.

Wallace is the latest in a run of Helena Industries scholarship recipients at PCCUA. Brittany Floyd of West Helena received the award in 2023, Armontez Harrison of West Helena was named in 2024 and Amr Alkarsh of Helena followed in 2025. The sequence shows the scholarship has become a repeat pathway for local students who want a low-cost start at PCCUA and a clearer line to work close to home.