Julie Backus Smith Memorial Scholarship

Established in 2004, this scholarship memorializes the life of Julie Backus Smith. Smith was born in August of 1946 in Atlanta, Georgia, but was raised in Savannah, Georgia. She graduated from Savannah Country Day School and went on to attend Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia. Following graduation, she attended the University of Georgia where she obtained a degree in Special Education and began teaching. During her life, she dedicated her time to her family’s car dealership, spent time as a downtown tour guide, and a community ambassador. Smith was elected to represent County District #1 on the Chatham County Commission and she served from 1988 to 1992. Following her service, she was appointed by Chatham County to a term as Board of Directors chairperson of the Tidelands Community Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Center. Smith served for many years on boards and committees of the Telfair Museum of Art, Backus Children’s Hospital, and the Matthew Reardon Center. She also was an advocate with the Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy and was a founding member of the Savannah Striders. An avid runner, Smith ran twice in the Boston Marathon and once in the Disney World Marathon and has been regarded as Savannah’s fastest female runner. She was a devout member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Savannah until her passing in 2003. This scholarship is available to an Armstrong junior or senior student enrolled full-time in the nursing program. The recipient must be academically eligible for HOPE (3.0 GPA) and a resident of one of the following Georgia counties: Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, or Liberty. Preference will be given to students intending to enter the field of pediatric nursing or service in the U.S. Military.