The Eliza Kirby Scholarship Fund was established in March 2002 , to honor the memory of my mom and to build on her legacy as a dedicated and compassionate caregiver. From her work as a student nurse in a segregated ward at Grady Hospital in Atlanta to her later years as a nurse anesthetist at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women in Orlando, she set a standard for outstanding patient care. She also served as a role model for countless young nurses.
In addition to her professional duties, she devoted countless hours to organizing health fairs, volunteering at church, driving cancer patients to their chemotherapy treatments, or just holding the hand of someone who needed it. To her, nursing was not just a job, but it was also a ministry. She was very proud to count herself among those who were called to nursing.
Among her many accomplishments, she was the President of the National Conclave of Grady Graduate Nurses and the recipient of the Ludie Andrews Award. She was also a former president of the Central Florida Black Nurses Association.
The purpose of the Eliza Kirby Scholarship Fund is to help an aspiring student nurse to reach their goals of obtaining their first professional degree in nursing. Just as my mom was helped to pursue her studies in nursing thanks to the generosity of a caring neighbor from the town of Wadley, Georgia, this fund is intended to also help future nurses.
The Elize Kirby Scholarship is administered by the Central Florida Black Nurses Association. If you would like to donate to the fund or to apply for the scholarship, please contact the CFBNA. The mailing address is: P.O. Box 585142, Orlando, FL 32808. Checks should be made payable to "Eliza Kirby Scholarship Fund."
2007 Eliza Kirby Scholarship Recipient
The 2007 Scholarship was awarded on October 6, 2007 to Tiffany Walker, a studnet in the practical nursing program at the Technical Education Center of Osceola. Tiffany's will may take her in the footsteps of Eliza Kirby as she pursues a long term goal of becoming a nurse anesthetist.
2006 Eliza Kirby Scholarship Recipient
The 2006 Scholarship was awarded on October 7, 2006 to Carrie Scarborough, a student in the nursing program at Valencia Community College.
2005 Eliza Kirby Scholarship Recipients
The 2005 Scholarships were awarded on September 24, 2005 to Bolane Olabisi of Bethune Cookman College and Ashley Berry, a student in the practical nursing program at Lake Sumter Community College.
2003 Eliza Kirby Scholarship Recipient
The 2003 Scholarship was awarded on September 27, 2003 to Devadah Williams, a graduate of Winter Park High School and a student at Valencia Community College.
