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SGMC Foundation Awards the First Annual Jay Shaw Scholarship Award to Lanier County High School Student

Posted on: May 5th, 2016

5/5/2016

Jason Shaw, Libby Shaw, Elizabeth Vickers, and Teighlor Livingston Lakeland, GA. –Lanier High School Senior Teighlor Livingston is the proud recipient of the first annual Jay Shaw Scholarship. The Jay Shaw Scholarship was created as a memorial to honor the late State Representative Jay Shaw for his dedication and commitment to quality local health care.

Mr. Shaw used his position in the Georgia Legislature to advocate for health care and in particular, hospitals in South Georgia. Donations, which were received from friends, colleagues, and family from all over the state of Georgia, made this scholarship award possible.“I am humbled with the overwhelming number of contributions from my father’s friends. We are able to keep my father’s dedication to health care alive by offering graduating senior the opportunity to obtain a second degree in the field of health care,” said Jason Shaw, current State Representative and owner of theJay Shaw Company.

According to Shaw, assets transferred from the Lanier Health Services Foundation and the SGMC Foundation brought the balance to a level whereby a scholarship could be offered. The SGMC Foundation is the proud facilitator of the scholarship as it serves as the official fundraising arm of all three SGMCcampuses.A committee of SGMCFoundation Trustees, including Lakeland residents Ben Copeland and Suzanne Mathis, along with other members of the Lanier County community, oversee the funds.

Foundation Executive Director Elizabeth Vickers stated, “It is our hope to offer financial assistance to Lanier County students seeking a professional health care who want to return to Lakeland or South Georgia to work. This is a wonderful way to leave a legacy, as well as advocate health as a career path in today’s society.”The establishment of this scholarship is the first of its kind with the SGMC Foundation. Historically, the Foundation solicits funds for specific campaigns including capital improvements, special equipment or projects.

The investment of these funds and yearly contributions designated toward it, should produce an amount of equity for the scholarship to be self-sustaining.“It is because of Jay Shaw’slegacy that the SGMC Foundation was willing to incorporate a new avenue of giving in the form of an educational scholarship,” Vickers explained. “Without Jay’s popularity and prominence, the tens of thousands of dollars necessary for this scholarship to be established wouldn’t have materialized.”

Annual applications forscholarship consideration are available by contacting the guidance counselor atLanier County High School or the SGMC Foundation office at 229.433.1077.