The Dr. Donnie Martin Royal and Dorothy Turlington Royal Heritage Nursing Scholarship Program has been established because of the sincere desire of the Royal Family to assist deserving students, enrolled in Sampson Community College’s Nursing Program, both Associate Degree Nursing and Licensed Practical Nursing.
“The caring hearts of Mr. Donnie and Mrs. Dorothy Royal have provided students with opportunities to fulfill their dreams and aspirations,” says Wanda Capps, Vice President of Academic Affairs at SCC. “As most healthcare programs are higher in costs, the assistance the Royal Foundation has provided and continues to provide to students is most appreciated. It is most often a factor that determines a student’s ability to actually enroll in college. The love and dedication the Royals shared with so many of us continues to live on through the caring hands of nurses who have been recipients of these scholarships.”
The scholarship was established in memory of Donnie M. and Dorothy Turlington Royal, whose quiet efforts to help others has been felt throughout the area. Dr. Royal served as a physician of general medicine for more than 60 years. Mrs. Royal continues to live in Salemburg.
Dr. and Mrs. Royal both were born and raised in the Salemburg Community of Sampson County. Dr. Royal was a Wake Forest College and Medical College of Virginia graduate starting college at the age of 16. Upon finishing medical school, he practiced medicine in Salemburg for over 60 years. He delivered babies and doctored their grandparents.
Royal would dispense medicine from his office since Salemburg did not have a drugstore. He maintained regular office hours and made house calls after his office closed. Sometimes patients would pay him with products from their farms such as chickens, hams and vegetables.
Mrs. Royal was a Meredith College and N.C. State College graduate. She taught high school English and typing for a few years, but her first love was music. She started the adult choir at Salemburg Baptist Church and had a boys’ choir for several years. She directed the choir and played the organ for 40 plus years. She helped start the Sampson County Medical Auxiliary and was active in the North Carolina Medical Auxiliary and was State President one year.
The Donnie M. Royal Foundation provides $20,000 annually for the Sampson Community College Nursing Program. Recipients of this year’s awards were: Andrea Bullock, Cynthia Lynch, Dana Gatlin, Jasmyn Carlton, Jessica Gautier, Lakeya Howard, Matthew Wilson, Rafael Garcia, Raishe Murphy, Rebeca Barillas and Sarah Herring.
SCC’s Practical Nursing curriculum provides knowledge and skills to integrate safety and quality into nursing care to meet the needs of the holistic individual which impact health, quality of life, and achievement of potential. Course work includes and builds upon the domains of healthcare, nursing practice, and the holistic individual. The Associate Degree Nursing curriculum provides knowledge, skills, and strategies to integrate safety and quality into nursing care, to practice in a dynamic environment, and to meet individual needs which impact health, quality of life, and achievement of potential. Course work includes and builds upon the domains of healthcare, nursing practice, and the holistic individual.
Sampson Community College thanks donors to the SCC Foundation for making dreams come true. SCC congratulates the scholars who directly benefit from these gifts. For more information about donating scholarships to students, contact Lisa Turlington at [email protected] or at 910-900-4072.