From left are Hospital Authority Chairman Richard Bass, scholarship honoree Louie Perry Jr., scholarship recipient Kareem Council and Colquitt Regional CEO Jim Matney.

MOULTRIE — Colquitt Regional Medical Center recently honored Kareem Council, son of Mr. and Mrs. David Taylor, with the hospital’s Trustee Scholarship for 2015. This $5,000 award is presented annually to a student pursuing a degree in healthcare who exemplifies outstanding academic skills and a commitment to helping others.

“This scholarship was created to support local students in hopes that after graduating they would come back to this region,” said Richard Bass, chairman of the Hospital Authority Board of Trustees. “We would love to see Kareem back in Moultrie as a member of our medical staff one day.”

Council graduated high school in June 2008. He excelled in biology, chemistry and genetics and was named an MLK Scholar. He was the recipient of a football scholarship to Fort Valley State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in plant science with a concentration in biotechnology in May of 2013. While attending FVSU, he was a STEM scholarship recipient and a University of Florida Lab Apprentice, and he conducted three National Science Foundation Presentations on genetics.

During his college years Council shadowed a number of medical professionals and these opportunities furthered his desire to make medicine a life-long career. After completing medical school and his residency, Kareem plans to practice medicine in a rural community. He currently attends the Windsor University School of Medicine in Cayon, St. Kitts.

“Kareem has spent many hours interning at our hospital and assisting patients and staff,” said Colquitt Regional CEO Jim Matney. “He’s a hard worker and I’m confident he will do very well in medical school and become an exceptional physician.”

The first Trustee Scholarship was awarded in 1983 to Alicia Horkan who now serves as the director of dialysis at Colquitt Regional.

It is presented annually in honor of someone who has dedicated years of service to the hospital. This year, the scholarship was presented in honor of Schley “Louie” Perry Jr. Perry, a farmer and life-long resident of Colquitt County, served as a trustee of the Hospital Authority from 1995 to 2004.

Applications are currently being accepted for the Trustee Scholarship for 2016. Those interested in applying should contact Colquitt Regional’s Human Resources Department at (229) 890-3533. Applications are also available online at www.colquittregional.com and can be mailed to Human Resources, P.O. Box 40, Moultrie, GA 31776. The application deadline is May 31, 2016.