Cox Family Gifts Two Nursing Scholarships
LUMBERTON, NC (June 2009) —Students attending the Associate of Degree Nursing Program at RCC will benefit from two new scholarships, thanks to the generosity of David and Michelle Cox of Lumberton.
The Cox’s have established an endowed scholarship, The David and Michelle Cox Endowed Nursing Scholarship in the amount of $10,000, and annual $500 scholarship, The David and Michelle Cox Annual Nursing Scholarship. Recipients of the awards must be in their second year of nursing, maintain a 3.0 GPA, and have a demonstrated financial need. The funds from the scholarships may be used for tuition, books, and/or living expenses as needed.
RCC Foundation Director Ericka Jones commends the Cox’s for their support of the College’s Nursing Program.
“The Nursing Program is a great asset to the College and the community as a whole. The program has a very capable staff, and they provide impeccable leadership skills to the students”, says Jones.
“The Cox family has a family history of nursing skills, and they have always believed in giving back to RCC. They set a wonderful example to students in what it means to not forget where you came from”, adds Jones.
Both David and Michelle are successful RCC graduates. David is a Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) graduate and Michelle is a 2001 Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) graduate, who holds a Master’s degree in nurse- midwifery from East Carolina University, and now serves as a provider with Southeastern Regional Medical Center.
At a recent reception honoring the Cox family for their generous donation, Michelle encouraged the RCC nursing students in attendance to consider “giving back” to RCC, upon completion of their degrees.
“I am honored to support the institution that helped me launch my nursing career. As a health provider, I feel that it’s my duty to “give back” to the community and help support the successes of RCC’s nursing program whose graduates help fuel our local healthcare workforce”, says Michelle.
Eva Meekins, Director of RCC’s ADN Program is excited about the additional financial support for the College’s nursing students and praises the Cox’s for their generosity.
“In the context of current budget woes, the ever increasing nursing shortages and the high cost of nursing education; financial assistance is critical for especially nontraditional students. The Cox’s generosity will help ease the financial burden for many of our students in years to come”, says Meekins.
Meekins hopes that the Cox’s recent gift will encourage more RCC alumni and supporters to contribute to the Foundation. According to the UNC – Chapel Hill SHEP Center report, ADN graduates enter practice in home communities, which are more likely to be rural and underserved, and are employed in practice settings more common in these communities. Additionally, for every 100 students who graduate from a North Carolina Community College System ADN program, 90 end up in practice in North Carolina.
RCC President Charles Chrestman notes that the kindness of the Cox family will eventually touch the lives of many RCC nursing students.
“This is a wonderful example of a young couple who is starting a family yet is taking time to give back to the College. What a wonderful example for other RCC graduates and residents of Robeson County”, says Chrestman.
With the established Cox Endowment, a laboratory in RCC’s state of the Art Health Science Building will be named in their honor. The naming opportunity is part of the RCC Foundation’s Capital Campaign. For more information regarding naming opportunities, contact the Foundation Office at 910.272.3235.
