Eliza Pillars nursing organization continues icon’s legacy with scholarship awards

TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) — Nine nursing students received scholarships Saturday night during the Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi District One’s annual scholarship banquet at the Huntington Bank Conference Center.

The event honors Eliza Pillars, Mississippi’s first Black registered nurse. Her legacy is now helping future nurses complete their education.

Organization president Dr. Kelsey Reed said the scholarships help ease the financial burden for students entering their final semester of nursing school.

Each recipient received up to $5,000 to help cover educational expenses.

Guest speaker and author Robert Hall encouraged attendees to remain resilient despite challenges in the healthcare field.

Among this year’s recipients was Amarii Chapman, a nursing student at Northeast Mississippi Community College.

“A bad day and a bad grade does not define the nurse that you will be,” Chapman said. “Lean on each other and keep God first.”