May 13, 2005
Genesis Foundation Awards Nursing Scholarships
Davenport, IA – Ten Quad City-area students who are choosing nursing as a career have been selected to receive 2005 Gala Nursing Scholarships from the Genesis Health Services Foundation.
This year’s scholarship recipients are: Maggie Bly, Davenport (Prince of Peace College Prep, Clinton, Iowa); Amy Boehmer, Sherrard, Ill. (Sherrard High School); Mary Ellen Downey, Aledo, Ill. (Aledo High School); Aileen Gilroy, DeWitt, Iowa (Central High School); Jamie Heath, Moline (Alleman High School); Danielle Jones, Davenport (Bettendorf High School); Angela Kinney, Grand Mound, Iowa (Central High School); Claire Pacha, Davenport (Assumption High School); Ashlee Stewart, Princeton, Iowa (North Scott High School); and Wyatt Thomas, Rock Island (Aledo High School).
Each recipient receives $5,000 in financial aid, which will be applied toward his or her pursuit of a baccalaureate nursing degree from a regional college or university. The scholarship is awarded as a forgivable loan. Repayment will be waived if the recipients agree to work full-time at Genesis for two years upon completion of their degree.
The Genesis Gala Nursing Scholarship Program, in its fourth year, now has awarded scholarships to a total of 40 students.
“One of the most important questions I’ve deliberated through high school has revolved around the notion of accomplishments,” said Claire Pacha, one of the 10 scholarship recipients. “Asking myself what I can do to make a positive impact on the world around me has led me to choose nursing.”
Scholarship winner Wyatt Thomas’ hospital experiences, including his own sports injury, strongly influenced his decision to pursue a nursing career. “I witnessed first-hand how a nurse can impact a patient’s life,” he said. “I want my future patients to be able to look back on their hospital experiences and remember the nurse who took time to extend a comforting, loving hand.”
Projections show that the nationwide demand for nurses will exceed the supply by 20 percent by the year 2020. The scholarship program is one of many ways Genesis is working to combat this problem. The scholarship program provides an incentive for students to pursue a baccalaureate nursing degree while at the same time helps diminish the impact of the nationwide shortage. In addition, it builds a relationship between the student and hospital that can develop into a rewarding career at Genesis.
“How fortunate we are as a community that such exceptional students are pursuing nursing careers,” said Missy Gowey, CFRE, Executive Director, Genesis Health Services Foundation. “The students we interviewed had outstanding academic records, but even more importantly, they had demonstrated such care and compassion in their work and volunteer activities. I'm excited that the Gala scholarship recipients will be joining the Genesis family and working to further our mission.”
