McMurry University Announces the 2021 Dr. Sandra S. Harper Women’s Leadership Scholarship Receipents

April 14, 2020, Abilene, Texas – McMurry University is pleased to announce Kelleigh Brooks and Whitnee Erwin as the receipetns for the Dr. Sandra S. Harper Women’s Leadership Scholarship.

This year marks the eighth year that the leadership scholarship has been awarded, having been established in 2014 in honor of the inauguration of Dr. Sandra S. Harper as McMurry University’s 12th president. Since it’s induction, McMurry has awarded $65,000 to 13 student leaders. To be considered, qualified applicants are female students at McMurry who excel in the classroom and who distinguish themselves through service on campus and in the Abilene community.

Kelleigh Brooks is a sophomore honors student from Flower Mound, Texas majoring in nursing. Her leadership activities include McMurry Honors Program, McMurry Servant Leadership, McMurry Research Team Lab and a member of the McMurry War Hawk Softball program from 2019-2020. Kelleigh has also been involved in weekly snack donations to Rosewood Assisted Living and Memory Care, three year volunteer with the American Red Cross assisting with donor recuruitment and the Leaders Save Lives blood drive and was a member of the McMurry student group who penned notes and handed out gift cards to McMurry faculty.

Whitnee Erwin is a junior student from Sweetwater, Texas majoring in early childhood education. Her leadership activities include the Secretary/Treasurer for the Abilene Chapter of the Association of Texas Professional Educators and member of Kappa Delta Pi. Whitnee was recently promoted to fulltime Salon Manager/Coordinator at The Hair Parlor is also an active member of her church, First United Methodist Church of Sweetwater.

This year, 33 students submitted applications to be considered for the Dr. Sandra S. Harper Women’s Leadership Scholarship. Scholarship funds are raised annually through sponsorships for the annual Women’s Leadership Luncheon held in March during Women’s History Month. This year’s luncheon and the 2020 luncheon were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, donations by friends and alumni of the University made it possible to award the scholarships despite the cancellations. In addition to the two scholarships awarded annually, donations have made it possible to establish the Dr. Sandra Harper Scholarship Endowment to ensure that many more deserving students will benefit from the Harper Scholarship well into the future.