By Alabama Public Radio
Florence AL – The Virginia Bayless O'Connell estate has announced a $300,000 scholarship endowment for the University of North Alabama. The Virginia Bayless O'Connell Honors Endowment will be established to grant scholarships to financially needy students involved in UNA's honors program. The school expects to begin naming O'Connell scholars within the next
year.
Virginia Bayless O'Connell graduated from Florence State Teachers College - now UNA - in 1932 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She requested in her Last Will and Testament that an endowed scholarship fund be established at her former school for students who have demonstrated the potential for successful
careers in higher education and who have demonstrated financial need.