Background

Joyce M. Brown was born in Macon, Georgia, on October 16, 1957, to Arthur Lee and Dora M. Howard. She passed away December 31, 1999. Her schooling began at Minnie Pearl Elementary School and she later graduated from Southwest High School. She attended Macon State College and Georgia College and State University where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. She began working at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in 1976, where she went on to become the head of the Cancer Center. In 1979, she married Michael Brown and they had two children, Anastasia Tedetra Brown and Michael John Brown. Throughout her life, Joyce was active in many Catholic and civic organizations. She was a member of St. Peter Claver church for 20 years, a member of the Cancer Association, Nursing Association and past President of the Cancer Society. Her spiritual development allowed her to give of herself freely and with great conviction. This longstanding philanthropic interest, along with her dedication to the medical field, led to the establishment of the Joyce Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund was established in honor of Joyce, by her husband, Michael Brown, to support nursing students pursuing their dream, as Joyce had done.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be pursuing a four-year bachelor’s degree in Nursing
• Preference given to applicants who are working or plan to work at Navicent Health (formerly Medical Center of Central Georgia).
• Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
• Must be accepted into the Nursing Program at Middle Georgia State University or Wesleyan College.
• The Joyce Brown Memorial Scholarship will not be awarded until the student has received formal acceptance into the Middle Georgia State or Wesleyan College nursing program AND been accepted into a clinical rotation at a Navicent Health Facility.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be selected based on the following:

• Preference will be given to students with financial need.
• A demonstrated ability to succeed in an academic environment.
• Candidates must demonstrate a caring attitude, be of high moral character, and show a willingness to succeed in the nursing profession.
• Scholastic merit

Additional Short Answer Questions and Attachments

On the last page, you will select the Joyce Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund and complete the following additional information:

• A short essay describing why you aspire to be a nurse. Include the college where you will be attending nursing school and any work/intern experience you have had in the nursing field, specifically with Navicent Health.
• Provide the names and email addresses of two references who have agreed to submit a letter of recommendation for you. These people will receive an email from our system allowing them to submit your recommendation. Please ask them before submitting their email address and let them know when you have submitted your application because that is when they will receive the email.
• A resume listing your work, school and community activities, athletics, awards, offices held, and other relevant experience.
• Your most recent high school or college transcript.
• A current, submitted FAFSA Student Aid Report that indicates the value of your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in the upper right hand corner. If this value is not shown, your application will be considered incomplete.

Awards

Amount of Award: $500 per year for up to 2 years

Number of Awards: One per year, preference is given to renewal applicants

Renewal for Prior Recipients:  A prior recipient of this scholarship fund is eligible to renew the award each subsequent year of his/her undergraduate education career for up to four years. In order to renew, he/she must:

• Complete the online renewal application by March 15th of each year.
• Submit an unofficial transcript scholar@cfcga.org at the end of each fall and spring semester for which he/she receives the scholarship.
• Maintain the eligibility criteria as defined in the scholarship’s guidelines.

If a prior recipient does not maintain the eligibility criteria or faces unique circumstances that require him/her to take time off or take a reduced course load for a semester, the student should contact the Community Foundation to determine if he/she is eligible for continued funding.