Anderson Regional Health System presented nursing scholarships to seven students enrolled in the Meridian Community College Associate Degree Nursing Program during a special luncheon on Thursday. Receiving scholarships were, from left to right, Robin Garner, Letasha Naylor, Marquita Brewster, Tiara Powe, Rachel McCollough, Amber Fant and Ashley Hollman.

Seven nursing students at Meridian Community College are smiling a little brighter after being awarded scholarships from Anderson Regional Health System, the 35th year for the Meridian-based healthcare system to provide a helping hand to area nursing students.

“Thank you for choosing nursing for a career. It is a time honored and noble profession,” Jan Hollingsworth Farrington, a member of the Anderson Board of Directors, told the nursing students and guests during a special luncheon Thursday to announce the scholarships.

“You are well on your way to becoming the kind of nurses that we need, the kind of nurses that we treasure,” Farrington said.

All seven recipients of the scholarships are currently enrolled in the Associate Degree Nursing Program at MCC.

“You have to be driven to be a nurse because when life happens — and life happens — you have to have a plan to move past it, to get through it, because you have to do what you need to do to complete what you believe is your calling to be a nurse,” MCC President Dr. Thomas M. Huebner Jr. said in lauding the seven nursing students.

Farrington said Anderson Regional Medical Center first began awarding nursing scholarships in 1988 to honor individuals who have played an important role in the hospital’s history. Since then, the number of annual scholarships has grown from two to seven.

“In 1988, we found another way to honor our past and that was we could honor our past by investing in our future, and you are our future,” Farrington told the nursing students. “You can’t provide quality care without having quality nurses.”

Dr. Lara Collum, associate vice president of nursing and health education at MCC, told the hospital administrators present that Anderson Regional Health System is a premier partner to the MCC nursing program.

“Our nursing program is stronger because of the partnership that we have,” she said. “The scholarships you award truly impact lives and help these students reach their educational goals, so your investment in these students makes a difference.”

Collum said all seven of the students chosen for the scholarships are worthy recipients.

“They are hard working students and we are very proud of them,” she said.

The following MCC students were awarded nursing scholarships:

Robin Garner was awarded the Dr. Jeff Anderson Scholarship, which was created in 2004 to honor Dr. Anderson, who founded Anderson Infirmary in 1928. The hospital was staffed originally by three physicians, a handful of nurses and a room to accommodate 30 patients.

Letasha Naylor was named recipient of the Dr. William J. Anderson Jr. Scholarship, which was created in 1988 to honor his many accomplishments. The late Dr. Anderson Jr., the son of the founder of the hospital, served as a general surgeon at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center.

Marquita Brewster was awarded the Dr. W.J. Anderson III Scholarship, named in honor of the son of Dr. William J. Anderson and the grandson of Dr. Jeff Anderson. He was a general surgeon at the hospital from 1962 until his retirement in 1998. Dr. W.J. Anderson III served as president and chairman of the Board of Directors at Anderson Regional Medical Center until his death in 2002. The scholarship was created in his honor the following year.

Rachel McCollough was named recipient of the Dr. Jefferson F. Hollingsworth Scholarship, which was created in 1988 to honor Dr. Hollingsworth, who was the grandson of Dr. Jeff Anderson. Dr. Hollingsworth was a cardiovascular surgeon in Jackson and was instrumental in getting the cardiac catheterization program started in Meridian.

Tiara Powe was awarded the Reuben S. Johnson Jr. Scholarship, which was created in 2007 to honor Mr. Johnson, who served as president and chairman of the board of the medical center for 38 years. Altogether, the late Mr. Johnson was employed by the medical center for 47 years, beginning in 1947. He was instrumental in the transformation of the hospital from a small infirmary to what became Anderson Regional Medical Center.

Amber Fant was chosen to receive the William J. Gunn Esquire, Scholarship, which was created in 2002 to honor Mr. Gunn who first began his service to the medical center in 1965 as secretary to the board of directors and general counsel for the hospital. In 1967, he became a member of the board of directors, serving until his death in 2001.

Ashley Hollman was awarded the Anderson Board of Directors Scholarship, which was created in 2012 to recognize the contributions of each board member to carry forward Dr. Jeff Anderson’s original vision to provide health care to area residents.

The seven scholarship recipients was chosen based on scholastic ability, nursing excellence, the recommendation of MCC faculty, an application and a written essay on why they chose nursing as a career.