10/19/2011 - Judson Awards 'Mary Whitfield Lee Scholarship' to Perry County Student

Judson College has awarded the seventh annual "Mary Whitfield Lee Scholarship" to senior Sarah Jean Watters of Sprott for the current academic year.

Watters is the daughter of Ruben and Beth Watters of Sprott and a 2007 graduate of Morgan Academy in Selma. She is pursuing a double-major in music and psychology and plans a career in social work.  Watters is a member of the Delta Omicron music fraternity and a vocal student of Dr. Betty Campbell. She is a member of the Pine Flat Baptist Church in Suttle and spent a week in the summer of 2010 on a mission tour in Nicaragua.

"I'm grateful for this scholarship," Watters said. "It's an honor to receive it and it will help significantly with my tuition costs."

Watters will be featured in her senior vocal recital on Oct. 23. The recital will be held in the Alumnae Auditorium at 3pm. A reception will be held immediately following in the President's Home. 

The Mary Whitfield Lee scholarship seeks to honor the memory of "Whit" Lee who was an outstanding Perry County student and athlete. Lee attended Marion public schools, Perry Christian School and Morgan Academy in Selma before entering the high school division of Marion Military Institute.  She graduated first in her class at MMI Prep with a 98.2 average and never received any grade lower than an A. She was valedictorian, a member of the National Honor Society, won the Daughters of the American Revolution "Good Citizen Award," was listed among "Who’s Who of High School Students" and "Distinguished High School Students" in 1974-75 and was a National Merit Scholarship finalist.  Lee scored a perfect 36 on her ACT math test and was offered scholarships by several colleges and universities, but chose to be a math major at Judson.  She was recognized at the 1976 Honors Convocation as having the highest academic average in the sophomore class.  At Judson, Lee was high scorer and a starting guard on the basketball team, averaging better than 20 points per game and was selected for the 1975 All-Star Team at the Alabama Women’s Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament. 

Lee died Aug. 8, 1976 just a few days after a driver lost control of her vehicle outside Birmingham and slammed into the station wagon carrying Lee and other Judson College softball players to a tournament in north Alabama. 

Individuals wishing to honor the memory of Mary Whitfield Lee by contributing to the scholarship endowment may send gifts to the Mary Whitfield Lee Scholarship Fund at Judson College. For more information contact the office of development at 334.683.5109.

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