Three of the Murray T. Harris Scholarship recipients, Rachel Johnson, Brett Roffine, and Mekenna Taylor, are pictured with Judy Harris, MANA Charitable Fund Board Member; Stacey Keenan, Executive Director of the Fayetteville Area Community Foundation; Dr. Danna Grear, a physician at The Breast Center and MANA Charitable Fund Board Member; and Terry Hurt, Chief Financial Officer of MANA. Avery Smith was not available for the photo.
On Tuesday, August 2, 2022, MANA representatives presented the Murray T. Harris Scholarship for $1000 to four allied healthcare students: Avery Smith, Brett Roffine, Mekenna Taylor, and Rachel Johnson.
The 2022 scholarship recipients represent a range of healthcare professions.
The first scholarship recipient, Avery Smith, is seeking a Master of Speech Pathology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. The second, Brett Roffine, is pursuing an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing at UAMS Northwest in Fayetteville. Another nursing student, Mekenna Taylor, is currently enrolled in the Licensed Practical Nurse program at North Arkansas College in Harrison and plans to continue to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing. The fourth recipient, Rachel Johnson, is passionate about diagnostic imaging, just like the scholarship namesake, Murray T. Harris, and is in the Radiology Imaging Sciences at UAMS in Little Rock.
Dr. Murray T. Harris, now retired, practiced diagnostic radiology in Northwest Arkansas for 44 years and was a leader in his field. Not only did he advance radiologic care in Arkansas, but he also recruited many of the excellent radiologists that serve the area today. Upon his retirement, Dr. Harris’ radiology partners established the scholarship in his honor to support and invest in future generations of health care professionals. Dr. Harris and his wife, Judy Harris, and former radiology partner, Dr. Danna Grear, who both serve on the MANA Charitable Fund Board, were present for the awards presentation.
The MANA Charitable Board is pleased to offer the Murray T. Harris Scholarship for students in allied health programs in Northwest Arkansas. Specifically, the students must reside or be enrolled in an allied health program in Washington County or Benton County of Arkansas.
The scholarship is available online starting in February, and the scholarships are awarded each July for the following academic year. The Murray T. Harris Scholarship focuses on currently underserved professions within the healthcare sector to help attract qualified candidates in these fields. For a complete list of qualifications, visit mana.md/murray-t-harris-scholarship.