Breonna Taylor aspired to become a nurse before her life was senselessly taken away at the hands of law enforcement officials on March 13. The University of Louisville is ensuring her legacy lives on through its future nursing students. The institution recently announced the creation of a scholarship named after Taylor.
The four-year scholarship—dubbed The Breonna Taylor Memorial Scholarship Fund in Nursing—will financially support Black women from Kentucky who want to pursue degrees in nursing, covering tuition and fees. Taylor, who worked as an emergency medical technician, wanted to continue to serve others by furthering her career in the medical field as a nurse. The fund was developed by the UofL Health’s board members and unveiled by the institution’s Black student union.
Taylors’s mother Tamika Palmer expressed her gratitude for the creation of the scholarship fund. “I am so appreciative that the University of Louisville, in partnership with the Black Student Union, will honor Breonna’s life through the creation of the Breonna Taylor Memorial Scholarship,” she said in a statement. “Breonna is smiling down knowing that there will be a path for students to pursue nursing degrees without accumulating student loan debt. Thank you to the university and its students for ensuring that Bre’s legacy will continue for generations to come.” Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, who serves as president of the UofL, says she believes the scholarship fund will empower other Black women to pursue careers in the medical field and follow in Taylor’s footsteps.
June 5 marked what would have been Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday. Several initiatives have been launched to support her loved ones as they seek justice. According to KTLA, a GoFundMe created for Taylor’s family has surpassed over $5 million and received donations from more than 180,000 donors. “We are SO THANKFUL for EVERYONE standing up for justice and saying her name,” read a statement on the fundraiser’s page from Taylor’s aunt Bianca Austin. “We’re not stopping until we truly get justice! All of you are such a blessing! It’s amazing!”
The officers involved in her death have yet to be charged.
SEE ALSO:
George Floyd Fundraiser Breaks GoFundMe Record, Exceeds $13 Million
Black Lives Matter: Powerful Photos Of The World Protesting Racism
