Lanier County High School seniors Ashton Abbott and Jenna Shaw received the 2021 Jay Shaw Scholarship, awarded by South Georgia Medical Center Foundation and the Shaw Family. Both students plan to attend Valdosta State University in the Fall where they will pursue a degree in healthcare.
To receive the Jay Shaw Scholarship, recipients must demonstrate a positive engagement in community service, exhibit strong leadership qualities, and show strength in academics.
Through this four-year undergraduate scholarship, the Foundation and Shaw Family aim to provide support for extraordinary young adults who see their college education as a lifetime of contribution to healthcare.
“Thanks to our donors, we are able to offer financial assistance to Lanier County students seeking a profession in health care who want to return to Lakeland or South Georgia to work. This is a wonderful way to advocate for health career paths in today’s society,” says Elizabeth Vickers, SGMC Foundation Executive Director.
The Jay Shaw Scholarship was established to honor the late State Representative Jay Shaw for his dedication and commitment to quality local health care. Shaw used his position in the Georgia Legislature to advocate for health care and in particular, hospitals in South Georgia.
Donations from friends, colleagues and family from all over the state of Georgia, as well as Lakeland residents, make the award possible. For more information about the Jay Shaw Scholarship visit www.sgmcfoundation.org/shaw.
Pictured: Lanier County High School seniors Ashton Abbott and Jenna Shaw receive the 2021 Jay Shaw Scholarship from Libby Shaw.