Background

Murray Ashley Nixon was a joyful burst of bright light from the day she was born in February of 1997. She spent 18 years living her best life and loving her family and friends. Murray loved laughing and making other people smile. Her passion was her relationships with people. She loved people “not a little, but a lot,” as she would always say. In her last journal entry, Murray declared that this was going to be her “best year yet,” and as she wrote about her plans, she stated that she hoped for “only happy things” for her future. Murray graduated from Stratford Academy in 2015 where she was a well-rounded student who was active in many extracurricular activities. She had just started her freshman year at Georgia Southern University and had her whole life ahead of her when she was tragically killed in an accident on December 22, 2015. Who knows what she would have accomplished had she lived into adulthood? Because her dreams were not realized, our goal is to help other young people follow their passions. We hope that this scholarship will help light a path for a bright future.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be a Female
• Graduates from a public or private high school in Macon, GA
• 2.75 or higher cumulative GPA
• Pursing a bachelor’s degree at a college, university, or technical college.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be selected based on the following:

• How they will exemplify the qualities of Murray in pursuing their passion in life.
• Involvement in extracurricular activities

Additional Short Answer Questions and Attachments

On the last page of the application, you will select the Murray’s Light Scholarship Fund and complete the following additional information:

• A personal statement response describing “What is your passion and how do you plan to use your education to pursue it?”

Awards

Amount of Award: $500 non-renewable award

Number of Awards: 1 per year

Prior recipients may re-apply and be reconsidered each year for a future award, however, renewals are not guaranteed. In order to be considered, he/she must:

• Complete the online renewal application in CFCG’s Web Portal by March 15th of each year.
• Submit an unofficial transcript 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.