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Scholarship recipient Erin McKinney (center) with Pat Hurst (second from right) and other members of the Ann Bowers Hurst family.

College Celebrates Students, Donors at Annual Scholarship Ceremony

Oct. 17, 2019 | The College of Health Professions celebrated student achievement and donor generosity at its Annual Scholarship Program.

Thirty-eight students received 41 scholarships totaling more than $50,000. Those at the Sept. 12 event were surrounded by friends and family as well as donors, college faculty and staff.

“Students, thank you for dedicating yourself to serving others in your chosen profession,” said Dean Susan Long, Ed.D. “Many of you will be there for patients when they’re at their most vulnerable, when they’re scared or overwhelmed or at a moment of joy. This is a huge responsibility and opportunity.

“Donors, thank you for support of allied health and our students,” she said. “Thank you for believing in our students enough to help them financially realize their dreams. Scholarships are crucial to bridging the gap between the increasing cost of a college education and what students can pay,” noting that the college’s Class of 2019 graduated with an average of $48,000 in debt.

Erin McKinney, who received the Ann Bowers Hurst Scholarship for students in the Dental Hygiene program, spoke on behalf of the scholarship recipients and thanked the donors for their “generous gifts and confidence in us.”

“A scholarship is a gift that will follow us the rest of our lives, enabling us to pursue an education without a financial burden,” she said. “It represents the late nights studying, the countless quizzes and chapters read, the patients’ lives we have already affected and our futures in the allied health professions. These gifts are driving the future of health care.”

Kathryn Pannell, a daughter of Ann Hurst Bowers, and eight other members of her family attended the scholarship program, the seventh one the family has attended since the scholarship started in 2012.

“My mom loved her career — she loved being a dental hygienist. Her dad was a dentist, so it ran in their family,” she said. “This is important to us because we’re here in honor of my mom and my grandmother, who started the scholarship.”

Virginia Goral, Ph.D., former chair of the Department of Dental Hygiene whose colleagues and former students established an endowed scholarship bearing her name when she retired in 2008, said it was a pleasure to attend the scholarship program and meet Kristine Bates, who received the Virginia Goral Endowed Scholarship this year.

“It was wonderful. I got to give her a hug and shake her hand.”

Dominique Sanders, a first-year student in the Respiratory Care program who received a College of Health Professions Scholarship, said he was so grateful that new students like him were given a chance to apply for the scholarships.

“I felt very special, and I’m very thankful for it because I really needed it,” he said.

Sarah Nolen, a student in the Cytotechnology program, received the Eulalia S. Araoz Endowed Scholarship and the Wanda L. Culbreth Endowed Scholarship.

“When I received the notifications in the mail, I was flabbergasted; I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never had anything like this happen to me,” she said. “I’m the only person in my family who is going to have a college degree. So for me and for my family, this is a really big moment.”

Shawanda McCoy, a senior in the Ophthalmic Medical Technology (OMT) program received the John Shock, M.D. Endowed Scholarship and the Ronald H. Winters, Ph.D., Endowed Scholarship.

As the founding director of the UAMS Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Shock was instrumental in the creation of the OMT program, so the scholarship bearing his name was particularly meaningful.

“It’s pretty amazing to know that Dr. Shock started this whole program for ophthalmology, for learning, for higher education and to give people opportunities to grow and advance,” she said as she was surrounded by friends and family. “I’m excited that I got the chance to meet him.”