MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital establishes nursing scholarship in honor of Darius Rucker’s mother, Carolyn G. Rucker

Portion of proceeds from ticket sales to October’s Riverfront Revival to fund the program, supporting the next generation of pediatric nurses

Charleston, S.C. (Oct. 6, 2025) – In recognition of the lasting impact of a devoted nurse whose compassion shaped countless lives, MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital has created the Carolyn G. Rucker Nursing Scholarship Program, honoring the late mother of the Grammy Award-winning artist and Charleston native Darius Rucker.

The scholarship will be announced in the lead-up to Rucker’s annual hometown festival, Riverfront Revival, which will take place on Oct. 10 and 11 in North Charleston. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales and QR codes available to scan will help to support the scholarship program, which aims to empower the next generation of pediatric nurses and pay tribute to the nurses who serve South Carolina’s children and families with unwavering dedication.

“My mom poured her heart into nursing – it was more than her job; it was her calling,” said Rucker. “To know her legacy will live on by helping others pursue that same path of caring for children and families is one of the greatest gifts my siblings and I could imagine. Thank you to everyone at MUSC for honoring her in this way.” 

The Carolyn G. Rucker Nursing Scholarship will cover tuition, fees and required materials for academic programs. This will help current MUSC nurses to pursue advanced degrees, addressing critical workforce gaps,  enhancing the quality of patient care and expanding professional growth opportunities for nurses.

Beyond financial support, recipients will be paired with experienced nurse mentors to guide them through their educational journeys and professional development. Scholarship recipients will also be encouraged to participate in community health initiatives, strengthening their connection to the populations they serve. In return, recipients will commit to continuing their service at the Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital for a minimum of two years following completion of their degrees.

“We are honored to recognize the contributions of Mr. Rucker to the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital that will support our nurses in growing and developing to meet the health care needs of children more robustly across the entire state of South Carolina,” said Kiersten LeBar, DNP, APRN, associate chief nursing officer of children’s, women’s and behavioral health.

As South Carolina’s only quaternary care center for children, the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital is home to the state’s only Level 1 trauma center, Level 4 neonatal intensive care unit and a pediatric burn program. 

“This program is a strategic investment in the future of pediatric health care,” said Mark Scheurer, M.D., chief of Children’s and Women’s Services at MUSC. “By supporting our nurses’ educational goals, we’re not only improving patient care but also building a stronger, more resilient health care system for the children of South Carolina.”

The Carolyn G. Rucker Nursing Scholarship Program stands as a powerful tribute to a mother’s legacy, Scheurer said, and a meaningful step toward ensuring that every child receives exceptional care from a well-supported, highly trained nursing team.

Contact: 

Kristin Merkel

854-253-9926

merkelk@musc.edu 

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About the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital and Pearl Tourville Women’s Pavilion

The MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital (SJCH) consists of 250 beds and opened in February 2020 as a replacement facility for the MUSC Children’s Hospital built in the late 1980s and formerly located on Ashley Avenue. More than 200 care team members, MUSC leaders, administrators and family and patient representatives were instrumental in the concept, design and building of this facility. By providing the most advanced pediatric care possible in more than 26 specialty areas, in person or through a robust telehealth network, SJCH includes a Level 1 trauma center and Emergency Department, the state’s only pediatric burn center and solid-organ and bone marrow transplant programs, the state’s largest Level 4 neonatal intensive care unit, an advanced maternal fetal medicine center and a top-2 ranked U.S. News & World Report children’s Cardiology & Heart Surgery program, which functions through a nationally unique statewide collaboration of pediatric heart surgeons and cardiologists.

Housed within the SJCH, the Pearl Tourville Women’s Pavilion (PTWP) seamlessly integrates children’s care and obstetrical services, thereby enhancing safety and improving outcomes in high-risk pregnancies. We understand that everyone plans for a healthy, normal birth, and for those who have that outcome, we want them to enjoy our top-notch labor and delivery care. Not all families have this opportunity, and they, too, deserve a place of compassion, expertise and excellent care. Working collaboratively with the advanced maternal fetal care center for families expecting babies with complex congenital birth defects and medical problems, PTWP care providers are one of only a handful of teams in the country able to offer couplet-care rooms, where newborns and mothers can recover together in an intensive-care setting.