The Eastern Carolina Chapter of the Professional Engineers of North Carolina awarded the 2016 Earl W. Bonner–Eastern Chapter of PENC Scholarship. The scholarship supports engineering students from eastern North Carolina at ABET-accredited engineering schools in North Carolina.

Mr. Jackson R. Reckord, of Winterville, received the scholarship. Jack is a rising sophomore in mechanical engineering at East Carolina University and a graduate of Ayden Grifton High School. Jack has an outstanding GPA, had great recommendations from his professors and engineering mentors on projects/classwork and was noted as being an active mentor to the local Pitt Pirates robotics team.

The scholarship honors Earl W. Bonner, a lifelong resident of eastern North Carolina and a veteran of World War II in the Seabees. He was a graduate engineer of North Carolina State University and worked as an engineer for the N.C. Department of Transportation, the City of Washington and Beaufort County. Carl Bonner, son of the late Earl W. Bonner, and his wife Julia, were instrumental in establishing the endowment.