Bennett alums donate funds to honor WSSU professor's late mother

When two Bennett College for Women alumnae found out that the mother of their former professor had died in February, they wanted to do something special.

Lashainna Campbell [class of 2002] and Honie Turner [class of 2003] said they knew that Lona D. Cobb, a professor in the mass communications department would not accept money, and they didn't want to send flowers.

Campbell is from Philadelphia and Turner is from Clinton, Md.

"I just thought because of the close relationship [with Cobb] we share that it would only be fitting to do something for her, in her time of sorrow and great need of comfort," Campbell said.  Campbell and Cobb have been in contact with each other since Campbell graduated.

So they decided to start a scholarship for social work students because Cobb's mother, Jacqueline Florence Smith Moye, was a licensed social worker at the University of Pittsburgh Health Center.  

"We figured the best way to honor her mother's memory was to choose someone who was serious about social work and helping people," Turner said. 

Moye earned her Bachelor's and Master's in social work at the University of Pittsburgh.

"When Lashainna called me about their plans, I was astounded," Cobb said.  "I was not expecting anything like this. But the more I thought about it, I thought to myself 'typical Belles, always thinking of others'."

Campbell and Turner sent Cobb a $500 certified check to start the scholarship.   Campbell said that she and Cobb agreed on the scholarship criteria. 

The scholarship will be awarded for two semesters to a first semester social work senior with a 3.0 GPA or higher; the recipient will receive $250 each semester toward books.  

Cobb said her former students asked her to choose the school she wanted to receive the scholarship.

"I decided Winston-Salem State because that's where I'm working now." 

Cobb left Bennett College in 2008 to take a position in the mass communications department. She worked in the Journalism & Media Studies Department at Bennett since 1995.

Cobb said she wants the scholarship to be funded longer than one year. 

"I plan to add funds to the scholarship for a long time," she said.  

"In fact, when I go home [Pittsburgh] for my mother's memorial service in May, I will ask for donations from my family.  I'm sure they want to preserve my mother's legacy, even if WSSU was not her alma mater." Cobb said the social work faculty will  choose the scholarship recepient.

University program coordinator of social work, Isaiah Marshall said, "The stipulations set forth for the scholarship are fair, and many students will push themselves to meet the criteria." 

 Marshall, an associate professor, said he hopes that the social work advisory board will match the funds so that other scholarships can be offered to social work students. He said that he will also contribute to the new scholarship fund and challenge the social work alumni to give. 

Cobb said that she has been so moved by the "thoughtfulness and generosity" of  her former Bennett students that she plans to start a scholarship for the Journalism & Media Studies majors at Bennett.  

"It's only fair," she said. 

Moye died Feb. 6 in High Point Regional Hospital; the cause of death has not been determined as of April 30.