Lee University students Krystina Engblom and Zoe Riggins have been named the 2020-21 Tucker Scholars in nursing. 

“To receive this scholarship is an absolute honor, “said Ms. Engblom. “Each year I have found myself growing in ways that I could have never imagined. The faculty have not only shaped me and pushed me to think critically about my patients’ diagnoses, but also to assess and care for their spiritual needs.” 

Ms. Engblom, a senior nursing major from Oak Ridge, Tn., is a tutor and supplemental instruction leader for Lee’s pathophysiology/pharmacology courses. She is also involved with the Nurses Christian Fellowship at Lee.  

“Krystina helps her peers with their learning while maintaining high standards for her own academic work,” said Jessica Price, associate lecturer of nursing at Lee. “She accomplishes this, as well as her clinical performance, with a great deal of compassion and goes above and beyond to be a good advocate for her clients.” 

Ms. Riggins, a Cleveland native, is a sophomore nursing major and a student worker in the Helen DeVos College of Education. She has been a member of Lee’s brass choir and participated in Dorm Wars, raising money for local charity. 

“I am so thankful to have been chosen as the recipient of the Tucker Foundation Scholarship,” said Ms. Riggins. “It is my hope that the foundation’s investment into my education today will allow me the opportunity to give back to my community in the future.” 

“Zoe is just beginning her nursing courses and has already demonstrated that she is hard working,” said Dr. Nancy LaBine, associate professor of nursing at Lee. “She is a solid student who is motivated to be an excellent nurse, and we are looking forward to helping her grow in skills and knowledge.” 

Recipients of the Tucker Foundation Endowed Scholarship in Nursing are selected by a nursing scholarship committee comprising nursing faculty with input from the financial aid office. The scholarship award is renewable for four years until graduation. 

The Tucker Foundation established the nursing scholarship in 2014 to support students from southeast Tennessee enrolled in Lee University’s nursing program, which began the same year. The Tucker Foundation also established a scholarship for natural science and mathematics at the university in 2009. The scholarships were established on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Summerfield K. Johnston, Jr.  

For more information about the Tucker Foundation Scholarship, contact the School of Nursing at 614-8526.