Lily Jackson, a rising senior from Oklahoma City, was named the first recipient of the A.O. and Mildred Pauline Hurt McKinney Endowed Scholarship in early 2021 during her junior year. The scholarship was established through a generous estate gift from A.O. and Mildred McKinney.
Recipients of the McKinney Endowed Scholarship are selected during their junior year based on academic success, strong commitment to the field of family science, propensity for success, and clear vision for the need to help families once they begin their careers. The scholarship endowment currently pays for one recipient at a time. However, once the scholarship reaches full maturity, it will award a two-year, full tuition scholarship to two students at a time.
The McKinney Endowed Scholarship marks a milestone in the development of OBU’s family science program. Emerging out of the work conducted in disciplines such as psychology and home economics, the family science discipline prepares students to engage a world of diverse family types and to help them build skills to flourish in the 21st century. OBU family science majors learn how to strengthen and enrich the families with whom they will work.
“I am incredibly aware of the Lord’s abundant provision as I accept this scholarship,” she said. “Every day I get to sit next to students who are deserving of this scholarship. So, being selected truly means a lot. I am grateful beyond words and am thankful that others will be able to experience this scholarship in the future.”
She is also excited that this scholarship highlights the field of family science, a field that touches and impacts so many people in powerful ways.
“It is critically important that we know how families work and how we can help them grow to be healthier and stronger. It is of utmost importance that we study, research, educate and care in ways that encourage the flourishing of the family,” she said.
A double major in family science and communication studies, Jackson plans to graduate in May 2022 and pursue her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. In addition to her work in the classroom, she is involved in many activities and organizations around Bison Hill. She has served the past two years as a resident advisor in Kerr Residence Center and is the co-chair of Refuge Women’s Bible Study. She is also a member of the Association of Family Service Professionals (AFSP) and a member of Omicron Delta Kappa honor society. She has also previously participated in the Bisonette Glee Club and Global Outreach trips. She is an active member of Frontline Church in Shawnee.