Now more than ever, our healthcare professionals are putting themselves on the frontline while fighting for our lives during this pandemic. Sadly, while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, a dedicated and passionate Ozarka-trained nurse lost her own battle to this horrible disease. Deborah Gay Person, an Ozarka College Mountain View Nursing alum passed away on December 20, 2020.
According to her husband, Brian, “Deb was an LPN that served her patients with the compassion and love that they deserved. She referred to them as “My People” and gave her all to their care and asked for nothing in return.” Deb was truly an amazing person in life and it is her family’s hope that her passion for nursing will endure which is why they have set up a memorial fund in her name.
The Deborah Person Memorial Nursing Scholarship Fund will support future nursing students attending Ozarka College – Mountain View. Priority will be given to someone starting a second career just as Deb began her nursing career at the age of 50. Consideration will also be given to a student that has worked continuously as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for a minimum of one and a half years. Lastly, Deb’s family extends this scholarship support to single mothers seeking to obtain a degree in nursing in order to enter the workforce and provide for their family.
It is clear the impact that Deb left on those around her; her loved ones, her patients, and the nursing community,” said Dr. Josh Wilson, Ozarka College vice president of Advancement. “What better way to continue Deb’s legacy than to support Ozarka’s future nurses by establishing this scholarship in her name.”
The deadline to apply for scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year is April 1, 2021. For help applying for scholarships, please call the Ozarka College Financial Aid office at 870.368.2009 or email: [email protected]. If you are interested in supporting the Deborah Person Memorial Scholarship, please contact Ms. Suellen Davidson with the Ozarka College Foundation at 870.368.2059 or at [email protected].
