Meridian Technology Center students Abigail Shannon and Kaitlyn Mitchell have been awarded the McCabe Scholarship to attend Langston University.

The McCabe Scholarship will cover tuition and fees up to 18 hours a semester, basic room and board in campus housing in addition to providing a textbook stipend. It is renewable for four years or five years if the scholars’ program of study includes a double major. The scholarship is open to students selected to study in Langston’s Edwin P. McCabe Honors Program.

“It’s a huge relief to know that I’ll be able to graduate college with no debt,” Mitchell said, describing the impact of the scholarship.

Shannon and Mitchell recently completed the Health Careers program at Tech. They are looking forward to continuing their education at Langston’s School of Nursing and Health Professions, where they both plan to pursue a degree in nursing.

In addition to completing their coursework at Meridian, they also earned their certified phlebotomy technician and medical administration technician industry certifications. Mitchell earned a certified nursing assistant, and Shannon has a certified clinical medical assistant certification. Because of this, they are confident they will have a competitive advantage when taking their next steps with these certifications.

“We have a solid foundation from our time in Health Careers,” Shannon said. “We are lucky that we already know much of what we will cover in the first year.”

Mitchell and Shannon were well-informed of the opportunities available at Langston, so they knew early on this was where they wanted to continue their training.

“My mom works with several people who are graduates of Langston’s nursing program. She has talked about how well trained they are and how great they are to work with,” Mitchell explained. “That helped me know I would get the education and training I need to do well.”

Shannon is the second person in her family to earn the prestigious honors scholarship. Her mom is also a McCabe scholar and a graduate of Langston’s physical therapy program.

In addition to offering advanced academic opportunities for students, the Edwin P. McCabe Honors Program challenges and prepares students for future success through community service and leadership opportunities. Scholars are expected to complete a minimum of 60 hours of community service each year.

Founded in 1987, Langston University is a public land-grant historically black college. It served 41 students on a single campus in Langston, Oklahoma, when it opened. The institution now serves approximately 3,000 students in 40 degree programs with additional Oklahoma City and Tulsa campuses.

Kaitlyn Mitchell

Abigail Shannon