UL Lafayette Named Inaugural Dolores Bess Scholars
The nursing program selected two students for the award funded by a recent estate bequest.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Scholarships
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The University of Louisiana at Lafayette College of Nursing & Health Sciences named Maria Moya and Alyssa Theriot as its first Dolores Bess Scholars. This recognition follows a bequest from the estate of Bess that increased the school's endowed nursing scholarship fund.
Why it matters
The increased endowment aims to alleviate the financial strain nursing students often encounter while balancing the rigorous demands of their final clinical rotations.
Dolores Bess served on the university nursing faculty for 25 years before her death in 2024 at age 91. The scholarship provides financial support to nursing students throughout their final four semesters of study.
The players
Maria Moya
She is one of the inaugural students selected as a Dolores Bess Scholar at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Alyssa Theriot
A nursing student from Catahoula, Louisiana, she was named as an inaugural recipient of the Dolores Bess Scholars award.
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
This public research university in Lafayette, Louisiana, houses the College of Nursing & Health Sciences where the scholarship is administered.
The details
The university college selects recipients for this award based on their successful progression into final clinical coursework. The funding was expanded significantly after a donation from the estate of the late faculty member, Dolores Bess.
Timeline
The Dolores C. Bess Endowed Scholarship was established in 2012.
Dolores Bess died at age 91 in 2024.
The inaugural Dolores Bess Scholars were named in September 2026.
Roadmap
This development represents a strategic expansion of private endowment support for nursing education at the institution. It continues the trend of leveraging legacy faculty gifts to stabilize the pipeline for students entering high-demand medical careers.
Nursing students at the university may now apply for dedicated support aimed at covering costs during their critical final two years of clinical training. This financial aid provides a practical way for students to maintain focus on their studies without the burden of part-time employment.
The takeaway
Legacy-funded scholarships serve as a vital bridge for students navigating the intense final stages of medical training. These awards demonstrate how institutional history can directly support the professional development of the next generation of caregivers.
Further reading
For more information on educational funding, visit the Scholarships section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Advocate.
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