Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Primary Care Scholarship
In December 2010, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield awarded a $1,000,000 grant to the University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc. for the benefit of establishing a permanently endowed scholarship within the UAMS College of Medicine, given in honor of the Board of Directors of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The purpose of the endowed scholarship is to provide financial assistance to junior and senior students enrolled in the UAMS College of Medicine who meet the following eligibility criteria: 1) Applicants must currently reside in Arkansas and have strong ties to Arkansas, as determined by the UAMS College of Medicine Scholarship Committee; 2) Applicants must have a stated intent to pursue primary care through the study of family medicine, general internal medicine or general pediatrics; 3) Applicants must have a commitment to practice primary care in Arkansas, with scholarship preference given to those interested in locating and practicing in rural areas of the state; 4) Applicants must attest that they are not related to persons who are serving at the time of the application as officers or directors of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, members of the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas System, the Chancellor of UAMS, or members of the UAMS Chancellor’s Cabinet. The selection of the recipient shall be the responsibility of the Dean or his or her designee, in accordance with the scholarship review process established by the College of Medicine.
Arkansas Gastroenterology Endowed Scholarship
Steven A Clift, M.D., a member of the College of Medicine Class of 1977, established Arkansas Gastroenterology, PA, in 1982. This physician group feels it is important to give back to the school that helped mold their careers. They hope recipients of this scholarship will become humble and compassionate physicians who will manifest high ethical standards in their chosen profession and through their future community and volunteer service. The inaugural award was given in 2002.
Ryan Gibson Endowed Fund for Excellence in Medical Education
The Ryan Gibson Endowed Fund for Excellence in Medical Education was established in honor and memory of Ryan Gibson, an outstanding medical school applicant accepted for early admission in December 2000 to the Class of 2005. Ryan dreamed of becoming a physician and biomedical researcher but passed away before his classes ever began. The Ryan Gibson Fund will be used to strengthen and enrich medical education through programs that encourage scholarship, innovation, and discovery among students and faculty of the College of Medicine. The inaugural award was presented in 2002.
Jack and Ida Byrne Kennedy Scholarship
Dr. Jack W Kennedy, a physician in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, established this scholarship in 1995 through an endowment. It was Dr. Kennedy’s desire to provide funds for the academic enrichment of the Henderson State University pre-medical program and to encourage and support student scholars in their first year of studies at the College of Medicine. Members of the Henderson State University chemistry faculty serve as pre-medical advisers and nominate the Kennedy Scholarship recipients. The inaugural award was presented in 1995.
Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee Medical Scholarship
An Arkansas family donated a scholarship endowment to the College of Medicine in memory of the actors Bruce and Brandon Lee. The scholarship is awarded each year to a senior student selected to concentrate a portion of his/her academic studies to developing a dissertation on ethical and human values issues concerning their clinical experience. The donors, who actually became friends with Bruce Lee’s widow, were impressed not only by Bruce Lee’s screen acting and martial arts skills, but also his depth of knowledge in various academic fields. His studies in philosophy, psychology, literature, physical culture and Asian life have been widely published. Bruce’s son, Brandon, followed in his father’s footsteps pursuing academics, martial arts and drama until he was killed in a tragic accident while filming his first starring role in a major feature film. The donating family desires that preference in selection of dissertation projects be given to ethical and human concerns of cancer patients and their families. Students are eligible to apply for this scholarship during their junior year. A review committee selected by the Director of Medical Humanities will choose the recipient. The inaugural scholarship was awarded in 1996.
Dr. Jerry D. Morgan Memorial Scholarship
Dr. Jerry Morgan, who graduated from the College of Medicine in 1965, dedicated 33 years to serving patients in Stuttgart and the surrounding area. His goal was to provide quality medical care to the people of rural southeast Arkansas. He helped build a medical center that provided the latest in technology, yet preserved a small-town atmosphere. His family, along with his colleagues, loyal patients, hospital administration and hospital board members, created a scholarship in his memory after his death in 1999. The scholarship is awarded to medical students from Arkansas, Monroe, or Prairie Counties who have tentative plans to return to those areas to practice medicine. The inaugural scholarship was presented in 2000.
Emeline Vincent Scholarship
Emeline Vincent was a resident of Clay County Arkansas who died in 1967. Her will expressed her intention to provide for the education of lineal descendants of her parents, Samuel B Vincent and Elizabeth Cox Vincent and to benefit the University of Arkansas School of Law and the University of Arkansas School of Medicine. In the event there are no lineal descendants attending the University of Arkansas, scholarships are awarded to the two schools. Selection criteria are determined by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. The inaugural awards were presented in 1994.