Pictured from left to right are Andrea Edwards Shupe, Lisa White, Rob Edwards and Bob Edwards. Unavailable for the picture was family member Jennifer Edwards Block.
Lisa White to pursue career in nursing
(Mt. Vernon, Illinois) Lisa White has been named the recipient of the first annual $1,000 Peg Edwards Nursing Scholarship.
Edwards was a nurse who dedicated her life to the profession prior to her death in 2011. White, who resides in Bluford with her husband and two sons, will attend McKendree University this fall to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in nursing.
“Lisa exemplifies what we were looking for in a candidate for this scholarship,” said Andrea Edwards Shupe, daughter of Peg Edwards. “She has clearly demonstrated her leadership abilities, outstanding academic achievement and we are confident she will make a positive impact to the healthcare industry. We couldn’t be more pleased with the selection of Lisa White as our first scholarship recipient.”
“I would like to say thank you to the Edwards family for this generous scholarship,” said White. “It’s wonderful that they are honoring the memory of their loved one in a way that promotes the profession she loved so dearly. I hope one day I can make an impact in the field of nursing such as Peg Edwards did with her many years of compassion and dedication to patient care.”
The Peg Edwards Nursing Scholarship was established by the Edwards family and Good Samaritan Regional Health Center Foundation as a memorial scholarship to honor Peg’s dedication to the nursing profession. Peg was a Registered Nurse for over 39 years, with almost 25 of those as a part of the St. Mary’s Good Samaritan organization. She graduated from Olney Central College with an Associate’s degree in nursing and later received her Bachelor’s degree in nursing from McKendree University.
Administration and staff at Good Samaritan Regional Health Center helped the Edwards family research scholarship candidates before choosing White.
“This scholarship’s purpose is to help support a student whose intention is to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and who demonstrates the initiative and leadership qualities that will make a positive contribution to the healthcare industry by working in the field of nursing,” said Edwards Shupe. “My family is extremely honored that we were able to develop this scholarship in the memory of my mother with the assistance of generous donors and the Good Samaritan Regional Health Center Foundation.”