Congratulations to Ti-Ara Turner and Payton Luker-this year’s Judson Legacy Scholarship Winners!
Ti-Ara Turner was named the recipient of this year’s special Dr. George Williams Memorial Scholarship, as she obtains her PhD in biomedical sciences in the Immunology Graduate Program at the University of Iowa. Her career goal is to manage research projects that identify immune system mechanisms that promote neurological diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis.
As a part of a Judson family legacy, she grew up learning about the Judson traditions from her mother Marilyn and recalled her mother singing “Once Upon a Time”, knowing she loved the song then, but would one day better understand the power that it held. “Before I would rest my eyes at night, my mother would always say, ‘Good night, Sweet Dreams’, and remind me that I could not say this until I was as senior at Judson College. I always wanted to say that phrase, so I knew I had to go to Judson after graduating high school”, said Ti-Ara.
The AAJ Scholarship will enable Ti-Ara to purchase necessary equipment tailored to her project and specific PhD thesis work to identify new therapeutic targets for MS and spread science throughout several communities. This funding will help her to accelerate her progress as an independent researcher and mentor.
Payton Luker ’20, is the 2025-2026 recipient of the Judson Legacy Scholarship for Graduate Study. She had an outstanding undergraduate record at Judson as a Biology Major, and served as a lab-assistant as well as Co-Captain of the soccer team.
After completing a Master of Science degree at UAB, she is currently enrolled in her third year of a Doctor of Pharmacy program at Samford University and serves as president of the StudentNational Pharmacists Association. In this position, she has participated in an impressive array of community service opportunities utilizing her pharmacy background on behalf of what she names the ‘underserved and often unheard’. She is genuinely committed to small town communities and meaningful patient interaction as she plans a career as both a practicing pharmacist and a faculty member.
