Jo Ellen Smith Scholarship

Jo Ellen Smith gave her life in service to the needy of the New Orleans area.  She was a nursing student when, on one of these missions of mercy, her life was ended.  That was 1973.

The Jo Ellen Smith scholarship fund was established in honor of her heroism.  It helps deserving students who share in Jo Ellen’s philosophy and have chosen to study for careers in health care to fund their course of study.  Awards are made on the basis of academic excellence and involvement in community services.  This promotes the continued availability of excellent local medical practitioners through local medical institutions.

Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, and many other health professionals have been assisted in the thirty-six years since Jo Ellen’s death.  There are no strings attached to these scholarship dollars by any hospital.  This is a community effort.

Every spring partial scholarships are awarded to deserving students in qualified nursing curriculums. Scholarships are awarded for tuition only, commencing with the fall semester. Scholarships are not automatically renewed, and must be applied for each year.

Applicant’s Qualifications

The student must:

1. Be a legal resident of Louisiana.
2. Be a U.S. citizen.
3. Be enrolled full-time in a Louisiana healthcare program.
4. Have completed at least one semester in a qualified nursing school.
5. Be a current applicant for educational financial assistance at the institution where enrolled.

Selection

The scholarship committee will evaluate all applicants and make the selections for scholarship recipients. Scholarships will be awarded to those students who obtain the highest cumulative scores in the evaluation process. The criteria used in this process include:

1. GPA of 3.0 or higher.
2. Outstanding tuition obligation.
3. Evidence of efforts to minimize outstanding tuition obligations.
4. Involvement in extracurricular community service activities.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete all sections of the application form. The application must be accompanied by the following:

1. Proof of financial position:
2. Two Letters of recommendation from the school
3. Official Transcripts
   • Complete description of all financial aid now being received, including whether the aid is reimbursable or non-reimbursable.
4. Personal essay describing student’s:
   • Professional goals.
   • Family background.
   • Community involvement.
   • Circumstances contributing to financial need.
   • Efforts to minimize outstanding tuition obligations, such as job, work-study, scholarships, etc.
   • Information on where student obtained information regarding scholarship availability.

Deadline: March 29, 2024

The Jo Ellen Smith Scholarship Fund accepts only electronic application submissions through the Foundation’s online portal. The Greater New Orleans Foundation’s technology partner, Foundant, has created a brief tutorial for applicants that may be viewed here. It is highly recommended that all applicants review this video before beginning a new application in order to better understand the electronic submission process. Proposals that are not submitted electronically may not be considered.

Click Here To Apply

Applications must be submitted no later than March 29, 2024.

If you have any questions, please email grants@gnof.org.