Health Professions Advising Office (HPAO)
University of Mississippi

HPAO Scholarships

Each year the Health Professions Advising Office gives approximately $80,000 in scholarships to our students.  Below you will find information about each award, including the selection criteria. We invite students – both incoming freshmen and current students – to apply for our competitive scholarships.

Current Students
Application

 

Incoming Freshmen. We have scholarships for incoming freshmen interested in pursuing the fields of medicine, dentistry, and nursing.  Complete the university’s scholarship application to be considered for these scholarships.

Current Students. Students registered with our office will receive an invitation each spring semester to apply for scholarships that will be awarded for the following academic year.  We have scholarships for current students interested in pursuing the fields of medicine, dentistry, and nursing.  For current students who are attending the UMMC for medical or dental school, there is a separate application for the Culley and Bynum ScholarshipThe application deadline is March 24. In addition to the application, please submit your personal statement and resume the Health Professions Advising Office or email to hpao@olemiss.edu.

 

Headshot photos of three student scholarship recipients. Text says 'Meet some of our HPAO scholarship recipients...'

HPAO Scholarship Listings

Dental

THE JOSEPH M. BYNUM MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

The recipient will be a Mississippi resident, UM graduate, and must attend the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry.  Students with other tuition-based scholarships cannot receive the Bynum Memorial scholarship. This one-time scholarship may be awarded up to $2000.

This scholarship was established to assist students pursuing a career in dentistry. Dr. Joseph Medicus Bynum, Jr. (1876- 1955), a native of Booneville, MS, received his BA from UM in 1898 from the School of Science, Literature and Arts, and was granted his license to practice medicine in 1901. 

Medical

B.H. RICHARDSON, JR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP 

The recipient will be a full-time student who is a rising sophomore, junior, or senior with plans to pursue a career in medicine. Preference is given to Mississippi residents. The scholarship will be awarded up to the amount of $2000.

This scholarship was established in 1999 to honor B.H. Richardson Jr. (1922-2007), a native of rural Kemper County, who was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army after being wounded during the World War II invasion of Normandy. Mr. Richardson lost his life to Alzheimer’s disease in April 1998. To honor their brother and the humble life he chose to live, Bobby E. Richardson of Vicksburg and Bernice Goldman of Philadelphia established the B.H. Richardson Jr. Memorial Scholarship Endowment. None of the Richardson family has ties to UM, but B.H. Richardson’s brother and sister chose to memorialize their late brother by giving to a state institution with a medical school whose students might one day find the key that unlocks the mystery behind Alzheimer’s.

 

BENNETT SCHOLARSHIP FOR FUTURE PHYSICIANS

Dr. Bennett

Dr. Bob Bennett

The recipient will be a full-time entering freshmen who plans to pursue a career in medicine from Tupelo, MS. Graduates of Tupelo High School, Tupelo Christian Preparatory School, and home schooled students qualify. The scholarship will be awarded up to $1000 for eight semesters if they maintain good academic progress and continue to pursue a career in medicine.

This scholarship was established in 2004 by Dr. Bob Bennett, who earned his BA in Biological Science from UM in 1984 and MD from UM Medical School in 1988. He is a retired from the East Texas Anesthesiology Associates.

 

 

 

CHARLES R. MCMURCHY SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Dr. McMurchy

Dr. Charles R. McMurchy

The recipient will be a major in a natural science within the College of Liberal Arts, and must qualify as having financial need from the Office of Financial Aid.  Eligible students must complete a FAFSA.  The scholarship will be awarded in the amount of $4000 and may be awarded for up to four years if a 3.0 overall GPA is maintained and a FAFSA is completed each year.

This scholarship was established in 2007 by Dr. Charles R. McMurchy, Jr.  He was originally from Fayette, MS, and graduated with a BA in biological science degree from UM in 1970 and a MD from UM Medical School in 1974.  Dr. McMurchy has been in private practice specializing in gastroenterology in Winston-Salem, NC, for more than 40 years.

 

JOHN C. CULLEY & NINA SOMERVILLE CULLEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Dr. John Culley

Dr. John Culley

Nina Somerville Culley

Nina Somerville Culley

The recipient will be a graduate of UM, a Mississippi resident, and must attend UM School of Medicine. Students with other tuition-based scholarships cannot receive the Culley Memorial scholarship. This scholarship may be awarded up to $2500 for the first year, and up to $3000 for the second year given the student finishing in the top one-third of the medical school class.

This scholarship was established in 1968 to assist students attending medical school. Dr. John C. Culley (1886- 1966) was a distinguished physician and surgeon who was born in Madison, MS, and received his medical degree at Vanderbilt in 1909He served for 10 years as Professor of Medicine at UM (1914-1924), was superintendent & owner of the first hospital in Oxford, and also served as President of the MS Medical Association (1931-1932). He was also part-time University of Mississippi physician until 1945.  His wife, Nina Somerville Culley (1897-1965), a native Oxonian and daughter of the Dean of the UM School of Law, received her BS from UM in 1915.

 

DR. HUGH BATEMAN SCHOLARSHIP

Dr. Hugh Bateman

Dr. Hugh Bateman

The recipient will be a full-time student who is a rising sophomore, junior, or senior and plans a career in medicine. The scholarship may be awarded for up to $2000.

This scholarship was established in 2014 to honor Dr. Hugh Bateman (1937-2015), a native of Franklinton, LA, who received his MS and PhD degrees from the Univ. of Southern Miss. In the fall of 1970, Dr. Bateman became Coordinator of Clinical Services in the Dept. of Speech and Hearing (now Communicative Sciences & Disorders) at UM, then chair of that department, becoming Assistant Dean of Liberal Arts for health related professions advisement in 1985.  In his later years he served as a research advocate for the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, offering his advice, meeting with many who had been diagnosed, and offering encouragement and hope.

 

DR. & MRS. JAMES C. HAYS SCHOLARSHIP IN PRE-MEDICINE  

Dr. & Mrs. Hays

Dr. & Mrs. James C. Hays

The recipient will be a full-time student who is a rising sophomore, junior, or senior and plans to pursue a career in medicine. Preference is given to Mississippi residents and the student must plan to attend the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. The scholarship may be awarded for up to $2000.

This scholarship was established in 1987 by Dr. and Mrs. James C. Hays.  Dr. Hays earned his MD at UMC in 1962, completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic, and served a tour of duty with the Air Force.  He returned to Jackson, MS, and had a long career in private practice with specialization in internal medicine & cardiovascular disease.  Mrs. Preston Myers Hays (1940-2012) was born in Indianola, MS, raised in Jackson and earned her BA in Math from UM in 1961.  She received many outstanding volunteer awards, was involved in the cultural and civic life of Jackson, MS, for many years, and was a driving force in the inception of the Mississippi Children’s Museum.

 

DR. AND MRS. JAMES A. LAUDERDALE PRE-MED SCHOLARSHIP 

The recipient will be a full-time student who is a rising sophomore, junior, or senior with plans to pursue a career in medicine. Preference is given to Mississippi residents. The scholarship will be awarded up to the amount of $2000.

This scholarship was established in 2000 by Mrs. Lauderdale to honor Dr. James Abner Lauderdale (1914- 1996).  After graduating from Tulane University and serving in the Navy in the South Pacific, he began medical practice in Meridian in 1948, retiring in 1988.  He was chairman of the ‘Knock Out Polio’ immunization campaign in 1964 sponsored by the East Mississippi Medical Society.

 

DR. SIDNEY H. WARREN MEMORIAL PRE-MED SCHOLARSHIP

The recipient will be a full-time student who is pursuing a career in medicine.

This scholarship was established by Warren Ball to honor Dr. Sidney H. Warren Jr. (1938-1985), who earned his chemistry degree from UM in 1960. He was born in Natchez, MS, and lived in Houma, Louisiana.

 

JEFFERSON F. HOLLINGSWORTH, M.D. SCHOLARSHIP IN PRE-MEDICINE

Dr. Hollingsworth

Dr. Jeff Hollingsworth

The recipient will be a full-time student who is a rising sophomore, junior, or senior with plans to pursue a career in medicine. Preference is given to Mississippi residents and the student must plan to attend the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. The scholarship may be awarded for up to $2000.

This scholarship was established in 1987 to honor Dr. Jefferson F. Hollingsworth (1943-1986), a native of Meridian, MS, who received a BS from UM (1965) and MD from Tulane University (1968). He was a cardiovascular surgeon in Jackson, MS, and was instrumental in getting the cardiac catheterization program started in Meridian.

 

 

 

JOHN E. RAY SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS SCHOLARSHIP

Dr. Ray

Dr. John Ray

The recipient will be a full-time student in one of the following majors – biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, or psychology – while pursuing a career in medicine. The scholarship will be awarded up to the amount of $4000.

This scholarship was established in 1999 by Dr. John E. Ray (1922-2006), a native of Hinkle Creek, MS, who lived in New Orleans for 43 years. He was a graduate of UM & Northwestern Univ. Med School & served in the US Army in the Korean War. Dr. Ray was a former Department Head of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Ochsner Medical Institutions and Professor of Surgery at Tulane University.

 

 

 

MARIE DEES AND C. WALTER MATTINGLY PRE-MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP

Walter Mattingly

C. Walter Mattingly

Dees

Marie Dees

The recipient will be a full-time student who is a rising sophomore, junior, or senior with plans to pursue a career in medicine.  The scholarship will be awarded up to the amount of $2000.

This scholarship was established in 1994 to honor Marie Dees and C. Walter Mattingly.  Dr. Walter Mattingly (1900-1981), a New Orleans surgeon and horse breeder, grew up in White Castle, Louisiana and graduated from Tulane University of Louisiana School of Medicine in 1926. He was appointed house surgeon at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. Dr. Marie Dees Mattingly (1896-1993), native of Copiah County, MS, received her BS from UM in 1917 and MD from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1921.  She was an Associate Professor of Anatomy at Tulane for a number of years.  

 

MILLER-PITTMAN PRE-MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP

The recipient will be a full-time student who is a rising sophomore, junior, or senior with plans to pursue a career in medicine. This scholarship may be awarded up to $2000.

This scholarship was established in 2003 to honor Mary Eugenia Miller (1908-2002) who received a degree in landscape design from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in English from Columbia University. She was a schoolteacher, a world traveler, and a resident of Crenshaw for more than 90 years. The scholarship also honors Miller’s Uncle “Doc” Pittman, a country doctor. Dr. Judge Bradford (J.B.) Pittman, M.D. (1867- 1940) was born in Webster County, MS and practiced medicine in Crenshaw, MS.

 

PEARL LINDA WALTERS AND OTIS W. WALTERS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP 

The recipient will be an incoming freshman who plans to pursue a career in medicine. The recipient must be a Mississippi resident who is active with community service, excels academically, and has financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid. The scholarship will be awarded up to the amount of $2000 per year for four years if a GPA of 3.5 is maintained.

This scholarship was established in 1994 to honor Pearl Linda Walters (1909 -1995) and Otis W. Walters (1922-1993).  The Walters were business owners on the Gulf Coast and real estate developers in the Biloxi, MS area.

 

SYDNEY KELLI SMITH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Ms. Sydney Smith

Sydney Smith

The recipient will be a full time entering freshman majoring in biological science who plans to attend medical school and has financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid. With good academic progress, the recipient may receive the scholarship for 8 semesters or until the undergraduate degree is received. The scholarship will be awarded up to $750 per academic year.

The scholarship was established in 2016 to honor Sydney Kelli Smith by family and friends.  Ms. Smith (1997-2015) passed away on her eighteenth birthday, March 12, 2015, in a tragic car accident. She grew up in Texas & was just a few months from graduation from high school, having decided to attend the University of Mississippi in the fall. Sydney planned to major in biological science and pursue a career in trauma surgery. From her obituary:”Trauma surgery would have been the perfect career for her as she lived her life with passion and emotion.”

 

Nursing

WALLACE E. AND ELIZABETH G. HOPE SCHOLARSHIP

The Hopes

Wallace & Elizabeth Hope

The recipient will be a full-time student pursing nursing.  The recipient must show leadership potential, excel academically, and have financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid. The scholarship will be awarded in the amount of $1000 and may be renewed with a 3.0 overall GPA.

This scholarhip was established in 2009 by Wallace & and Elizabeth G. Hope. From a small community in southeast Louisiana, Wallace E. Hope (1919- 2005), a product of the Great Depression, began working when he was 10 and persevered to become a gas company executive. The legacy he created with his wife, Elizabeth, will be continued through this endowment.  They selected the nursing program because of the constant shortage of nurses and also because Elizabeth would have pursued a career in the medical field if she had had the opportunity to go to college. Their son, William, a UM alumnus said: “Neither of my parents had the opportunity to go to college. They were not unlike others in their generation. They worked very hard from a young age, but they were fortunate to do extremely well. Being caring people, they planned this gift to provide educational opportunities for others.”

 

HAZEL BRISTER O’FLAHERTY SCHOLARSHIP

Hazel Brister O’Flaherty

The recipient will be a full-time student pursing a nursing degree.  The scholarship may be retained for eight semesters and is of varying amounts.  Recipients will have a high school GPA of 3.5.  First preference will be to students from Lincoln County; second to Mississippi students; then any student pursuing a nursing degree.

Hazel Brister O’Flaherty (1918-2014), a native of Lincoln County, Mississippi, made a life for herself by working her way through the Mather School of Nursing in New Orleans, finishing in 1941. She then trained at Southern Baptist Hospital before taking her new skills to the Office of Civilian Defense, Emergency Medical Protection Service. There, O’Flaherty was assigned to work aboard a U.S. Army transport ship as chief nurse with the International Refugee Organization, which helped resettle displaced refugees from Europe and Asia following World War II. Also aboard was Staff Sergeant John O’Flaherty, who would become her husband in New York City in 1958.  Upon returning to the states she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Columbia University in New York in 1959 and 1960 respectively while working at Memorial Hospital Cancer Center. The couple later moved to California, where Hazel O’Flaherty began teaching at Contra Costa College, educating young men and women in the same path she followed. As her niece said “even though she spent most of her life elsewhere, Aunt Hazel loved her home state.”

Pre-Vet

THE MIRIAM W. WEEMS PET LOVERS SCHOLARSHIP

The Miriam W. Weems Pet Lovers Scholarship provides funding for full-time students pursuing a major in the College of Liberal Arts who are on the veterinary school track and have been active in the rescue and protection of dogs and cats. Recipients will be recommended by the pre-professional advisor in HAPO.

Mrs. Weems (1941-1911) earned her BFA in Art in 1963, where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority, a Campus Favorite, Commander of Angel Flight, President of Mortar Board, and VP of the Associated Women Students among many other honors. She was a tireless volunteer or board member in Jackson, MS, from garden club and park committees to Junior League, arts events, church, and Ole Miss Alumni Association groups. But above all she loved animals. She worked tirelessly for the Animal Rescue League in Jackson and founded the Oxford Animal Rescue League. “I wanted to create a scholarship for someone who is kind to those who can’t take up for themselves,” Miriam Weems said.