2016 Tillman Scholar

Scarlet Fellingham

Military Spouse
Duke University
B.S.N., Nursing

“More than anything, I am passionate about the protection and preservation of all human life.”

Inspired by pictures her husband sent her of local children while deployed in the Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, upon completing her junior year of college Scarlet stepped outside of her comfort zone and boarded a plane headed for Mombasa, Kenya. Scarlet volunteered to teach basic reading and writing to third and sixth-grade children in the slums of the city as many could not afford to attend the local public schools because they could not afford books or uniforms. Though many students were hungry or constantly sick and unable to stay awake and alert in class, what saddened her the most was that 70 percent of the students were HIV positive. Scarlet left Kenya with a heavy heart and clear mind, realizing nursing was her new path. More than anything, she is passionate about the preservation and protection of human life. Upon graduating with her Bachelors in Economics/Pre-law from Campbell University, Scarlet began pursuing her nursing degree.

Inspired by her husband’s leadership and mentorship, Scarlet intends to remain an active military spouse. Being the wife of a company commander, she’s worked closely with the families in her husband’s unit, and she understands just how important a support base is for families in an ever-changing environment like the military. With an academic goal to receive her Doctorate in Nursing and become an Advanced Practicing Registered Nurse specializing in HIV/AIDS treatment and research, Scarlet hopes to share her passion and enthusiasm with her peers. She believes every great, successful nurse has come to this conclusion, and they have answered the calling. With her husband’s aspirations of becoming a part of the military’s Volunteer Transfer Incentive Program, Scarlet and her husband hope to move abroad where she can work with an international public health NGO specializing in HIV/AIDS research, so she can continue the work she started in Kenya by helping infected children across the globe.