MOUNT VERNON — During the NAACP Mt. Vernon Branch’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. banquet, SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital presented Makayla Bowden with a scholarship.

“She is hardworking, dedicated to her goals and a wonderful student with a strong moral character and work ethic,” says Brenda Alexander, SSM Health’s System Vice President of Human Resources. Alexander participated in the scholarship review team which chose Bowden from among several candidates.

Bowden will use the Health Care Scholarship to pursue a career as a pediatrician; she has been accepted to Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. Bowden is currently is a senior at Mount Vernon Township High School.

SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital – Mt. Vernon and the NAACP Mt. Vernon Branch continue their efforts to promote equality for African American individuals in the community; this $2,500 scholarship awarded to a student pursuing a degree in a health care related field is one example of the long-standing partnership.

Reverend Erie Patton, Mt. Vernon NAACP Branch President, and Deborah Lee-Eddie, SSM Health Interim Vice President of Operations, presented Bowden with a plaque to commemorate the scholarship during the banquet held January 15, 2018, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Mt. Vernon. The celebration date coincides with Dr. King’s birthday.