Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency is proud to offer several scholarship opportunities to graduating Mississippi high school seniors who are passionate about making a difference through organ, eye, and tissue donation awareness.
MORA is proud to offer the following scholarships for the next scholarship cycle:
- The Allie Carruth Memorial Scholarship – $5,000
- The Chuck Stinson Memorial Scholarship – $1,000
- The Annie Lucious Gift of Life Scholarship – $1,000
- The Dr. Shirley Schlessinger Scholarship – $1,000
- One additional MORA Scholarship – $1,000
- The Walker Wilbanks Scholarship* – $2,265
Students who complete the application and meet the eligibility requirements below will be considered for one of the first five scholarships listed above.
You do not have to be a registered organ donor to apply for the scholarships. Scholarship winners will be notified by their school counselor in the spring of 2027. Winners will also be posted on the Donate Life MS Facebook and Instagram pages. Please follow us there at @donatelifems for scholarship reminders and announcements. Facebook | Instagram
- The student must be a graduating senior from an accredited Mississippi high school.
- After graduating from high school, the student must be accepted by or have intentions of fall enrollment in either a junior college or university.
- To apply:
- Complete the scholarship application
- Write a 300- to 750-word essay on ONE of the following topics:
- Why you are a registered organ and tissue donor
- The importance of encouraging others to be an organ and tissue donor
- How you or your family have been affected by organ and tissue donation or by transplantation of organs and /or tissue
- Why you want to be an organ and tissue donor
- Provide TWO letters of recommendation—one from a school teacher and one from an adult (or another teacher) of your choice
Application Deadline
Postmarked no later than midnight Friday, October 23, 2026
Mail your scholarship application, essay, and letters of recommendation to MORA c/o Susan Bonds, P.O. Box 519, Tishomingo, MS 38873
Walker Wilbanks Scholarship*
For school administrators, faculty, and staff only
The Wilbanks Memorial Scholarship is awarded in memory of Walker Wilbanks, a student-athlete at Jackson Preparatory School who became an organ donor hero in 2014. The scholarship amount is $2,265 (reflective of Walker’s baseball and football numbers).
Students must be nominated by a high school administrator, faculty member, or staff member. Parents, friends, and self-nominations are not accepted.
To request a Walker Wilbanks Memorial Scholarship application, please email Susan Bonds at sbonds@msora.org.
