Mary Bush Smither President's Endowed Scholarship

This endowment was established in memory of Mary Bush Smither, grandmother of Moselle Smither Lawson, to provide financial assistance to selected students. In memory of his beloved mother, Wilburn Lawrence (Doc) Smither and his wife, Earle Smither, established a President’s Endowed Scholarship in 1982 during the late Dr. Elliott T. Bowers term as president of Sam Houston. As part of the Share the Vision capital campaign in 2007, Ralph and Moselle Lawson added to the existing endowment in memory of Moselle’s grandmother. The importance of education was embedded in the heritage of the Smither family over 100 years ago when Mary Bush’s uncle by marriage, Robert Goodloe Smither, and his committee organized Austin College. The other descendants of the Smither family continue this extraordinary family tradition today. This scholarship endowment is established to express the Smither family’s appreciation for the quality of higher education that Sam Houston State University continues to provide for its students. Through the endowment, the Smither family will be perpetually recognized for their contribution and service to education. Moselle Smither Lawson is the daughter of Wilbur Lawrence Smither JI and Norma Felder Smither and the granddaughter of Mary Bush Smither and Wilbur Lawrence Smither, Sr. Her great-grandparents were Juliette Hamilton and Robert H. Smither.