Melissa I. F. Ilugbo was a Johnson High School 2001 honor graduate and bridged out of the Savannah State University Upward Bound Program in 2001. She attended Georgia State University where she was a honor student until her demise in November 2003. In her memory, a scholarship was established at Savannah State University by her parents, Margaret (Theodore) Ilugbo- Hunter, Clement K. Ilugbo, and Niere R. Brown, a special friend of Melissa's. This scholarship will be for students who bridge out of the Upward Bound Program and enroll at Savannah State University their freshmen year. They will receive a total of $300 for books during the academic year.

Thirteen SSU Upward Bound Bridge graduates will be the first to receive the Melissa I. F. Ilugbo Memorial Scholarship during the 2008- 2009 academic year, namely: Karl Arilla (Johnson), Jasmine Carpenter (Windsor), Leslie Coney (Beach), Me'Kia Davis (Jenkins), Ke'Aira Davis (Windsor), Jadon Forbes (Beach), Janay Howell (Beach), Karlecia Jackson (Beach), Issac Jones (Beach), Danielle Miller (Groves), Jasmine Pendergraph (Jenkins), Courtney Pinkney (Windsor), and Albert Wright (Johnson).

In 2009, a fundraiser for this Memorial Scholarship will be planned and the proceeds will go in support of the Upward Bound students at Savannah State University.