#04-131
June 3, 2004

RCI awards 2004-05 Pope Fellowships, Scholarships

AMERICUS--The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) has awarded $78,000 to 21 students under the John and Betty Pope Fellowship/Scholarship program for the upcoming academic year. The number includes 15 students attending Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) and six students attending other universities in the University System of Georgia. 

According to David Haigler, Ed.D., deputy director of the RCI and coordinator of the program, "This is the largest number of students to receive awards and the greatest amount of funding awarded since the beginning of the program. The program has grown tremendously since the first two awards were made in 1996." 

GSW students receiving scholarships for the 2004-05 academic year are Billi Gibbs, an undergraduate student from Fitzgerald majoring in middle grades education; Paige Hogsed, an undergraduate nursing student from Americus; Jamie Holley, an undergraduate nursing student from Americus; Ashley Martin, an undergraduate nursing student from Fitzgerald; Jay Pope, an undergraduate nursing student from Norman Park; and Shanna Queenie, an undergraduate student from Americus majoring in biology/education. 

GSW students receiving fellowships are Robin Broome, an undergraduate student from Albany majoring in mathematics education; Michelle Heinzerling, an undergraduate nursing student from Cordele; Davida Hilton, an undergraduate nursing student from Warner Robins; Nithin Ramachandrappa, a graduate student from Fort Worth, Texas, majoring in computer science; Crystal Ray, an undergraduate student from Vienna majoring in early childhood education; Courtney Ross, an undergraduate student from Americus majoring in biology; Dawn Singleton, an undergraduate nursing student from Leesburg; Lorna Slaton-Whitaker, a graduate student from DeSoto majoring in special education; and Barbara Wilcox, an undergraduate student from Fitzgerald majoring in special education. 

Students receiving fellowships and attending other University System of Georgia institutions are Kristen Collier, a medical student at the Medical College of Georgia; Danica Hays, a doctoral student in counseling at Georgia State University; Jennifer Kinsey, a graduate student in community counseling at Columbus State University; Ann Landes, a doctoral student in counseling psychology at Georgia State University; Carol Rossiter, a doctoral student in social work at the University of Georgia; and Amy Sutton, a doctoral student in counseling psychology at Georgia State University. 

Five GSW students who were awarded fellowships or scholarships for 2004-05, Billi Gibbs, Jamie Holley, Shanna Queenie, Courtney Ross, and Lorna Slaton-Whitaker, also received awards for the previous year. Two students at other universities, Jennifer Kinsey (a GSW graduate) and Ann Landes, also received awards for the previous academic year. 

The Pope Fellowship/Scholarship Program was established in 1996 through an endowment from John (deceased) and Betty Pope of Americus to promote a better understanding of the importance of professional and family caregivers. Since its inception, 105 students majoring in such fields as nursing, psychology, counseling, social work, pre-med and sociology have been awarded a total of $366,000 through the program. According to Ronda C. Talley, Ph.D., MPH, executive director of the RCI, "Thanks to the generosity of John and Betty Pope, we have been able to assist numerous deserving students in their pursuit of careers in various fields related to caregiving, and we have had a major impact on the way they view issues and concerns related to caregiving. By working through these future professional caregivers, there is the potential for touching thousands of lives." 

The John and Betty Pope Fellowship/Scholarship Program is administered by the Rosalynn Carter Institute, GSW, and accepts applications on a competitive basis with a deadline of April 1 for awards made for the following academic year. For more information about the program and an application, visit the RCI Web site at www.RosalynnCarter.org, or call the RCI offices at (229) 928-1234.

PHOTO AVAILABLE

Recognized--The RCI has announced Pope Fellowship and Scholarship recipients for 2004-05 include (front row, left to right): Courtney Ross, Shanna Queenie, Paige Hogsed, Dawn Singleton, Crystal Ray and Lorna Slaton-Whitaker; (back row, left to right): Davida Hilton, Jay Pope, Ashley Martin, Michelle Heinzerling, and Robin Broome.

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