September 30, 2022
Several East Texas Baptist University nursing students were presented with the Polly Cargill Nursing Scholarship on behalf of the Jerry and Jack Cargill family and East Texas Baptist University. ETBU's Cameron Anderson, Reagan Creed, Trinity Griffith, Ta'Lena Johnson, Hailey Maloy, Megan McCarthy, Bailey Munch, Meagan Parker, Brittan Price, Laura Staley, Emma Stelzer, and Jaidakiss Younger received the scholarship during the reception held at the Marshall Grand. The ETBU nursing students were 12 of 17 local students receiving scholarships who seek to impact the medical industry through a future career in nursing.
"Nurses are the backbone and the soul of the medical system," philanthropist and scholarship donor Jerry Cargill said. "I learned about force multiplying through my experience in business, and I knew I wanted to force multiply this scholarship. When we started this 20 years ago, we gave away three scholarships. A few years later, we gave away five, and this year we've given 17. My goal is to get up to 20-25 scholarships. That is what we are shooting for, and that is force multiplying. We are so grateful for these fantastic students and the caring nurses that they will become."
Jerry's and his brother Jack's hearts were touched by the level of care that their mother, Polly Cargill, received from nurses at our local Good Shepherd Marshall Hospital. After she passed, the Cargill brothers decided to honor their mother's legacy as well as the care shown to their family during such a difficult time by instituting the Polly Cargill Nursing Scholarship fund, helping students in East Texas become equipped and compassionate nurses.
"I want to carry on the legacy of the care that Polly Cargill received by just being myself," senior nursing major and scholarship recipient Cameron Anderson said. "I want to make sure my patients are happy. I know that being in the hospital all day can be kind of gloomy, but I try to uplift my patients, make them smile, and feel more at home in a place where they might not get that from anything else."
ETBU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Thomas Sanders gave a charge to the scholarship recipients, and Cargill Scholar Alumna Abbey Jackson ('19) shared her reflections with the group.
"Receiving this scholarship was really such a blessing to my family," Jackson said. "It came at a time when we desperately needed it, and so I'm honored and forever grateful for the Cargill Family. There are many things that come to mind when I think of what it means to be a nurse. We get the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus every single day. We get to care for patients and families who are going through some of the most vulnerable times of their life. I encourage each of you to never take any encounter for granted because you could be exactly what a patient needs."
This year marks the 20th year of the Polly Cargill Nursing Scholarship, which has now provided financial aid to a grand total of 77 nursing students from schools across the East Texas region. In recent years, recipients have gathered together to be honored and recognized by their schools and the founders of the scholarship. The recognition was followed by a reception, during which scholarship recipients had the unique opportunity to visit with the Cargill family.
"It means a lot to see someone from the community pouring into students," Anderson added. "I've never met the Cargills until today, but hearing the story about their mother was very touching, and I just can't believe someone would have such a kind heart to give back to students and honor their mother in that way. It's heartwarming that they are giving back to the community in which they grew up. This scholarship gives me a little more motivation. It gives me something I'm working for that is greater than myself."