Honoring the life and legacy of their mother, the family of Juanita Roberson-Dodd, formerly of Lexa, has announced a gift to the Phillips Community College Foundation to establish the Juanita Roberson-Dodd Memorial Nursing Scholarship at Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas (PCCUA)-Helena.
The family chose to honor the memory of their mother, who made indelible marks on their character and development. Mrs. Roberson-Dodd birthed five children, had one “bonus” daughter, and was a grandmother of 12. She worked at Crestpark Retirement Inn for 33 years as a cook until her health failed. Three of her children and one grandchild are graduates of PCCUA.
Roberson-Dodd was very passionate about her children and grandchildren getting an education and was also known to encourage many young people in the community, who were receptive to the wisdom she shared.
In making the gift, Roberson-Dodd’s daughter, Melanie Dodd Wesley, RN, BSN, said her mother raised her children guided by her strong belief in God and the importance of education, hard work, and personal responsibility. Moreover, she instilled in them that education was the means by which anyone could rise up to achieve his or her full potential. Roberson-Dodd was a faithful member of Miracle Temple Church in West Helena.
Wesley stated, “She was full of love even when her health failed. She always saw the best in people. In her honor, the family would like to keep her legacy and the love shown to everyone she encountered alive by establishing a scholarship to commemorate her desire to see young adults pursue their education. Although her voice may never be heard by the upcoming generations, her impact on many, especially her family, will never be forgotten.”
Applicants for the Roberson-Dodd Memorial Nursing Scholarship must provide a letter of recommendation from a pastor, teacher, principal, or mentor along with a one-page essay about why they should be chosen, outlining their academic plan for furthering their education upon graduation. The Roberson-Dodd Scholarship will provide $1,000 annually ($500 per semester) to recipients and is designed to assist Helena-West Helena residents (minimum of 5 years), who are graduates of Central High School or KIPP Delta and have been accepted to the PCCUA RN or PN program. Recipients must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA in order to keep the scholarship.
If you would like to contribute to the new Roberson-Dodd Scholarship Fund, send payments to Roberson-Dodd Nursing Scholarship, PCCUA, P.O. Box 785, Helena, AR 72342.
