Maintaining the Momentum: Winter 2008

Nursing was a calling for the late Martha Tilt. Her needs,wants,and priorities were selfless,simple, and always focused on her children, friends, and love of nursing. To honor their mother’s life and dedication to her calling, her sons LeRoy W. (Dyke) Tilt III, Kenneth M. Tilt, Ph.D., and Douglas C. Tilt, M.D. (a physician at UAB), have established an endowed scholarship inthe UAB School ofNursing.

“We wanted to make a meaningful tribute to Mom’s life,” Doug says. “We felt that if we could create something that she would have done had she had the resources, we would be doing the right thing. We knew the right opportunity when we saw it.”

In her early years, Mrs. Tilt trained nurses. “Her students still tell us how wonderful she was as a teacher,” Ken says. “She loved young people and was a mentor to many new nurses. We often heard them refer to her as ‘Mama Tilt.’”

Mrs. Tilt, who served as a nurse in Shelby, North Carolina, for about 45 years, had a vision of what she considered the most important aspect of nursing—compassionate, patient-centered care. She would have wanted the scholarship selection committee not only to recognize academic achievement and need, but also to reward a student’s desire and passion to offer comfort and professional care to patients and their families. “Recognition of Martha Tilt through this scholarship sustains her legacy and her commitment to nursing, supporting students in their pursuit of a career in this field,” says Doreen Harper, Ph.D., dean of the School of Nursing.

“Mom could not have imagined that she could have ever been able to provide financial support for aspiring nursing students on her salary,” Dyke says. “Her name on the scholarship is the perfect tribute to a very special lady. We want each scholarship recipient to know that the financial aid comes from the spirit of the nurse we knew as Mom and that it is supported by people who deeply appreciate the nursing profession and nurses like Martha Tilt.”

 For more information please contact:
The Office of Development and Alumni Relations
218 School of Nursing Building
1701 University Boulevard
Phone: (205) 975-8936
Fax: 205-934-0269