Recently two Sherman students, Gayle Heyer and Shamva Wright, were pleasantly surprised to learn that they were named recipients of the Harvey Lillard Scholarship from the American Black Chiropractic Association (ABCA). The awards were presented to Heyer and Wright at the Winter Bagelfest celebration in late January.

The scholarship contributed $500 for winter quarter 2005, and Sherman matched this amount, which doubled the value of the scholarship. The ABCA scholarship committee selected five recipients based on GPA, need, and how well their essays were written. The scholarship is presented quarterly to African-American students who maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA, and is named for Harvey Lillard, who was the first patient to receive an adjustment from chiropractic’s founder, D.D. Palmer.

Sherman President Jerry L. Hardee, Ed.D., congratulates ABCA Scholarship recipients Gayle Heyer and Shamva Wright

When Wright received the news of her acceptance, she didn’t believe it. “At first I told the lady who told me about winning to stop playing games,” she said. “But when I found out she was telling the truth, I was ecstatic.” 

Heyer was also taken aback. “I was very surprised,” she said. “I still couldn't believe it until I actually got to cash the check.”

Both of the students are also very grateful for the financial assistance the ABCA scholarship will provide. 

“This scholarship has helped me with my expenses,” Wright said. “Not only did it help me, but it also helped Sherman’s Student American Black Chiropractic Association (SABCA) because now more students have joined the club – not just to win scholarship money but to help out with the different fund-raisers and community service projects that SABCA is part of.” 

Heyer is also appreciative. “This scholarship’s meaning is two-fold,” she said. “I am happy to represent Sherman College by having received this scholarship, and, of course, financially it helps out a lot.”