October 3, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MCCC AWARDS FIRST-EVER RICHARD H. HICKS AND BERNICE HICKS NURSING EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND AWARD

MONROE, Mich. – Monroe County Community College has awarded the first-ever Richard H. Hicks and Bernice Hicks Nursing Education Scholarship Fund award to Jeannette Crane of Ottawa Lake.

The scholarship award is in the amount of $1,500 and may be used for tuition, fees and books.

The scholarship fund was made possible in 2006 through a bequest by Mr. Hicks, a distinguished veteran and businessman.

After serving his country in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific during World War II, Mr. Hicks returned to Monroe to manage Roselawn Memorial Park in La Salle, then owned by his father Morris. Through his vision and leadership, Mr. Hicks converted Roselawn to a non-profit cemetery and served as a director until his retirement in 1982. Throughout his life, Mr. Hicks was active in many local service organizations and charities, most notably the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and the Masons.

On Valentine’s Day in 1943, he married Bernice Swayze in Monroe.  It was during her long battle with Parkinson’s Disease that the idea of establishing a nursing education scholarship was formed – due to the wonderful nursing care she received.  During the last year of his life, Mr. Hicks was also the
recipient of wonderful nursing care, which caused him to remark many times that “you can never have enough good nurses.”

For more information on available scholarships and financial aid, please contact the MCCC Financial Aid Office at (734) 384-4135.  For information about funding a scholarship, contact The Foundation at MCCC at (734) 384-4206.