Mary E. Rife Scholarship

Mary Emily Rife was born on December 6, 1932, in Fayette, Mississippi (Jefferson County) as one of two children to Pinkie and George McDaniel. She and her older brother were raised in a loving family but times were hard in the south and she learned a strong work ethic at a very young age. In school, Mary was considered an excellent student from an early age, particularly in science and math and enjoyed assisting others in her classes with their school lessons. She loved school and was proud to graduate from Mount Olive High School as valedictorian but, unfortunately, Mary was not able to go on to higher education at that time, which was something that she felt badly about for years. It had been her dream to one day become a pharmacist or a nurse. As an adult, Mary moved away from Mississippi and met Leonard W. Rife. The two married and relocated to Des Moines, Iowa, where she was able to return to school and, in 1962, she graduated from the Des Moines School of Practical Nursing as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Later, she became one of the first LPNs to apply for the Advanced Placement Program offered by Broadlawns School of Nursing, allowing her a fast-track toward becoming a Registered Nurse. Mary applied her passion for nursing working as a Visiting Nurse at Public Health Nursing and started a community clinic at Corinthian Baptist Church. That free clinic continues today, providing services not only for parishioners but also for those in the community. Because of her love for nursing, she was inspired to start the Mary E. Rife Scholarship Program. She had noticed that during her many years as a nurse in the Des Moines, Iowa area, she had seen very few African Americans in the field. As a result, it was her hope that through the scholarship program, other African Americans will have the financial support needed be able to become a nurse. She wanted to provide financial assistance so African Americans would not be prevented from achieving their dreams, simply due to lack of funds.