UA CrossingPoints Student Wins National Scholarship

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Melissa Walker, a member of The University of Alabama’s CrossingPoints Certificate in Occupational Studies Program, was recently awarded the Ruby’s Rainbow Warriors for Walt Scholarship.

Walker, a native of Tuscaloosa, is the first UA CrossingPoints student to receive a scholarship through Ruby’s Rainbow, a national nonprofit organization that grants scholarships to adults with Down syndrome seeking post-secondary education, enrichment or vocational classes. The goal of Ruby’s Rainbow is to help individuals with Down syndrome achieve their dreams of higher education while spreading awareness of their capabilities.

The Warriors for Walt Scholarship was created in memory of Walter “Walt” Luther Morris IV who was born with Down syndrome and passed away at nine months because of complications following open-heart surgery in 2016. His scholarship is a joint partnership between Ruby’s Rainbow and the Warriors for Walt Charitable Fund through the Arkansas Community Foundation.

Walt’s family – little sister, Mae Louise, mother, Liz, and father, Trey – proudly gift the scholarship annually to deserving young adults with Down syndrome who make their dreams reality by attending higher education.

“I’m so excited and thankful to Liz and Trey Morris, and Walt from up above,” said Walker. “The scholarship really means a lot and will help me complete another semester at UA.”

The CrossingPoints Certificate in Occupational Studies is a non-degree certificate program for young adults with intellectual disabilities interested in pursuing postsecondary education at UA. CCOS seeks to provide students with intellectual disabilities with a high-quality and inclusive college experience.

Walker says some of her favorite aspects of the program are living on campus in a residence hall, being a CCOS ambassador and bringing awareness about students with intellectual disabilities.

“Melissa has dreamed of inclusion and opportunity at every stage of life,” said Lawanna Walker, Melissa’s mother. “When society tries to place Melissa on the sideline because they see her as different, not belonging or worthy of inclusion, she always smiles and continues to find her way into the game as a competitor, not as a mere spectator, while gaining more confidence in her abilities and purpose.”

In addition to serving as a CCOS ambassador, Walker is a UA Student Government Association representative, and member of the Afro American Gospel Choir and Sigma Alpha Lambda. In 2019, she won first place in the inaugural Miss Unique UA pageant.