Left to right: Mark Cook, J.F. Cook Foundation; LarkAnn Byrd, second-year nursing student; Dr. Jeff Cox, president of Wilkes Community College; Emily Hill, first-year nursing student
LarkAnn Byrd, a second-year nursing student who was homeschooled and graduated with a high school diploma and an associate degree, and Emily Hill, a first-year nursing student who graduated from North High School have been named recipients of the 2017-2018 Adrienne Necessary Scholarship.
LarkAnn stated, “I chose nursing as my profession because of my God-given passion to help others. It will allow me to have every-day personal interactions with the patients that I have the opportunity to work with.” She plans to continue her education by earning a Bachelor of Science in nursing and eventually become a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Emily stated, “I am very grateful to have received this scholarship. Every penny helps me to reach my goals and hopefully help this community after I graduate.” Emily is in the Lenoir-Rhyne RIBIN program, and after obtaining her RN, she will continue her studies to receive her BSN. As a first-year nursing student she is unsure what area she would like to specialize in, however, she knows that there are many exciting opportunities to explore.
The scholarship is awarded to students who are residents of Wilkes County, enrolled full-time, maintain a 3.0 grade point average, and plan to enter a nursing career.
“Projected growth in healthcare industries and their associated occupations will continue as our aging population grows, which will drive the demand for healthcare services. This provides an ideal opportunity to link our students’ educational attainment with real opportunities. The Adrienne Necessary Scholarship helps us do that by providing financial aid to deserving nursing students,” says Dr. Jeff Cox, president of Wilkes Community College. “We count on the generous support from individuals and groups like the Cook Foundation to make it possible for many of our students to realize their dreams of a college education and to achieve their career aspirations.”
The Adrienne Necessary Scholarship was established at WCC in 2008 by the J.F. Cook Foundation to honor Adrienne Necessary, who was a long-term employee at Cook’s, Inc. Adrienne Necessary graduated from WCC in 2001 with a degree in nursing and was later employed by Wilkes Regional Medical Center. Her family and friends remember Adrienne as a bright young woman who always wore a smile and brought joy to others.
Adrienne Necessary was a very loving and caring young woman, so it was not surprising that she chose a career that calls for loving and caring qualities. The Cook family knew Adrienne for many years, and it was their privilege to love and know her. She was an outstanding person, full of the qualities that make a wonderful nurse. The establishment of the nursing scholarship at Wilkes Community College in her name was their way of honoring her and giving back to the community.
“I feel that the impact of the scholarship has come full circle. A family member was recently treated at Wake Forest Baptist Health-Wilkes Medical Center by a former scholarship recipient. It is very gratifying to know that a recipient was not only helping us, but is giving back to the community,” stated Mark Cook, founding member of the Cook Foundation.
For more information on scholarships or donating to the WCC Foundation, call 336-838-6491.