ECU College of Nursing celebrates 122 student scholarships provided by generous donors
An annual scholarship reception at the ECU College of Nursing on Sept. 27 celebrated 122 students receiving nursing scholarships totaling $327,550 – all made possible through the generosity of donors.
Among the scholarship recipients were first-generation college students, parents, professionals entering their second career and students who have overcome personal challenges and illnesses to excel in their studies.
The annual scholarship reception at the College of Nursing on Sept. 27 provided an opportunity to donors, students and faculty to mingle and discuss nurse education. (Photos by Conley Evans)
Dr. Sylvia Brown, dean of the College of Nursing, thanked the donors for their gifts toward educating the next generation of nurses, and relayed the meaning of their donations in the lives of students.
“Your gifts enable many of our students to pursue their dreams of becoming nurses or continuing their education in nursing,” Brown said. “Your continued generosity allows our students to focus on meeting their educational goals and worry less about financial constraints. Please know that your gifts make a huge difference in our students’ ability to study and meet the demands of the nursing curriculum.”
Megan Rossi — a student in the nurse anesthesia program and a recipient of the Tammy Duval Nurse Anesthesia Scholarship — earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing while swimming competitively for ECU. During the reception, she thanked the donors and relayed the meaning that scholarships have had in her life.
“Being a student athlete has given me the drive and work ethic to become a successful nurse anesthetist, and this scholarship has given me the opportunity to grow and become the successful clinician I am today, without the financial stressors,” Rossi said. “From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for giving me this gift. In the near future I look forward to giving back to the nurse anesthesia program and ECU’s College of Nursing that has given so much to me.”
Several new scholarship endowments were celebrated for the first time at the event, including the Robert Hunter Kornegay Family Scholarship, which was awarded to Makaylah Tart, and the Jordan-Leahy Scholarship, awarded to Brittany Wiggins.
Morgan Lamb, a student in the Accelerated Second-Degree BSN option and a scholarship recipient, spoke at the scholarship reception.
Morgan Lamb, a student in the Accelerated Second-Degree BSN option, received the Kimberly Basnight Memorial Scholarship. In her speech to the donors and recipients, she emphasized the importance of how scholarships not only help to alleviate some of the financial burdens for students, but also recognize their efforts.
After attaining a bachelor’s degree in marine biology, Lamb said she realized that she wanted to serve her community in a way that her current degree could not provide.
“At that moment, I knew I was meant to be a nurse and would do anything to reach my goal, including quitting a full-time job, taking out massive amounts of loans and relocating to Greenville,” Lamb said. “But this education and career is worth it all — and with your generous gifts all of us can release some of the worry about our finances and really put our full effort into succeeding as a student.
“We can take pride in knowing that our hard work is recognized and also be humbled that you have all put your faith in us to succeed and excel in this field. Take it from my experience, and from the words of George Eliot: ‘It is never too late to be what you might have been.’”
-by Natalie Sayewich, University Communications