Phylis and Ray Crook scholarship fund supports senior students in need

The relationship Phylis Crook ’63, RN, has with Mount Carmel spans more than 60 years and has grown, changed, and evolved over that time to make her one of the most consistently involved and supportive alumnae, and a distinguished one at that. When she was designated a Distinguished Alumna in 2009, she accepted the honor by saying, “I first met Mount Carmel when I was 17 years old and I have known this organization longer than I’ve known my husband and our children.”

It’s possible, though, that she was simply destined to attend Mount Carmel. Mother M. Angela, CSC, one of the three Sisters of the Holy Cross who came from South Bend to found Mount Carmel in Columbus, is a distant cousin.

Beyond perhaps destiny, Crook has remained closely tied to Mount Carmel throughout her life, filling volunteer, professional, leadership, and philanthropic roles, first at the behest of her friend and mentor, Dr. Ann Schiele, and continuing to this day.

Phylis worked at Mount Carmel West, spending the majority of her career working on an orthopedic floor, after a brief tenure in a physician’s office setting. “I missed the bedside, so the hospital was where I practiced,” she said.

Divorced and raising a family, Phylis married her husband, Ray, in 1972, then retired from nursing. Being a stay-at-home mother and wife did not preclude her from taking on responsibilities to continue supporting her alma mater. She served as the coordinator of alumni relations for 18 years, again, at the behest of Dr. Schiele, building the position from very part-time to a full-time role for her successor.

Phylis and Ray established the Ray and Phylis Crook Scholarship in Memory of Sister M. Blanche, CSC, as part of the recent Our Legacy of Learning Campaign that concluded last year. “Establishing a scholarship had been on my mind for many years. Ann Schiele encouraged us. She kept telling me that Ray and I were such consistent donors that we should put a name on a fund that we could support. The Our Legacy of Learning Campaign gave us the perfect opportunity to do just that,” she said.

The Crook’s fund provides two annual scholarships to MCCN seniors who demonstrate financial need. The first scholarships were granted in 2022. In addition to the named fund, Phylis has been a driving force behind the Class of 1963 scholarships, too. She’s had the opportunity to meet many of the students who have received those scholarships over the years. “The students are so grateful for the support and we feel that it is a privilege to help support them,” Phylis said. “Whether you consider paying it back or paying it forward, it is for the good of future generations of alumni. It honestly feels so good to contribute to MCCN and its students.