Morgan McCray is set to begin the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in August, after her May graduation from Ole Miss, an accomplishment she attributes to having been a Luckyday Scholar during her undergraduate years.
After completing her first two years of study at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, she transferred to Ole Miss.
“It’s really nice coming in as a transfer student because I already feel like I have a family and a sense of belonging and learning,” McCray said of the Luckyday community on the Oxford campus. “Now I’ve used this time at Ole Miss not only to find myself but also to learn how to impact other people and be of service to others.”
Growing up in Ridgeland, Mississippi, McCray witnessed the state’s health disparities and inequities. She chose a public health and health sciences degree to address those issues and hopes to practice medicine in a rural area of Mississippi. She aims to incorporate the public health knowledge she is gaining into her practice.
Luckyday Scholars at UM are engaged in four areas of success: scholarship, community, service and leadership.
Since the program’s inception in 2000, the Luckyday Foundation of Jackson, Mississippi, has awarded more than 2,000 students – all Mississippi residents with a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher – Luckyday Success Scholarships.
At Ole Miss, the program provides 80 Luckyday Scholarships to incoming freshmen for $24,000 ($6,000 annually for four years), and 25 community college transfer students for $12,000 ($6,000 annually for two years).
McCray has some advice for future Luckyday Scholars.
“Take advantage of all the opportunities and amenities that Luckyday offers,” she said. “Get to know your classmates and the community you live with on campus, and the faculty and the administration can help you so much more than you think. One of the best life-changing conversations I’ve had has been with my Luckyday advisor.”
Luckyday Scholars can participate in an annual Luckyday Retreat just for freshmen, providing them with an opportunity to take campus tours and get to know peer leaders, faculty and staff members.
During their time as students at Ole Miss, Luckyday Scholars continue to receive support if they meet minimum requirements, which include maintaining a minimum GPA, participating in Luckyday programming and living their first year in the Luckyday Residential College. A living-learning community, the Luckyday Residential College includes a resident faculty fellow, a dining hall, its own library and an exercise facility.
As she prepares to graduate, McCray is grateful for the Luckyday Scholarship that led her to success in her academic and college life.
“To the donors, I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to learn and grow,” she said. “Thank you for considering me and for feeling that I fit your message and the beliefs of your foundation. Of course, all scholarships are worthwhile, but these scholarships mean so much because you can see that you represent the values of the foundation offering them.
“Thank you and continue to do what you’re doing because you’re helping out so many students like me.”
For more information on the Luckyday Success Scholarship Program, visit https://luckyday.olemiss.edu.
By Eva Luter/UM Development