Onita Dongieux, a leader in nursing education, was born in Moselle, Mississippi. In 1961, she was appointed executive director of the Mississippi Nurses Association. During her tenure, she was instrumental in securing mandatory licensure for RNs and LPNs. She was an advocate, a lobbyist and a leader in moving nursing education into the higher education system. The Nurse Oneita Dongieux Award for Excellence is awarded to a nursing student enrolled in good academic standing at one of Mississippi schools of nursing. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Mississippi Nurses' Association for more information.