May 02, 2006
Genesis Foundation Awards Nursing Scholarships
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Eleven Quad City-area students who plan to pursue nursing educations have been selected to receive 2006 Gala Nursing Scholarships from the Genesis Health Services Foundation.
This year’s scholarship recipients are: Kristin Davis, Davenport, a student at the University of Iowa; Kristen Decker, Monticello, Iowa, who will be a student at St. Ambrose University; Corrina Eriksen, Davenport, a student at St. Ambrose University; Kelly Gaul, Bettendorf, a student at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa; Melissa Anne Gerlach, Maquoketa, a student at Mount Mercy College; Karissa Jargo, Clinton, a student at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.; Maria Linnenbrink, Donahue, Iowa, a student at the University of Northern Iowa and Allen School of Nursing; Tamara Liljequist, Davenport, a student at St. Ambrose University; Sara Neyens, Rock Island, who will be at student at St. Ambrose University; Natasha Stottlemyre, Davenport, a student at St. Ambrose University and, Lindsey Sparks, Goose Lake, Iowa, who will be a student at Coe College in Cedar Rapids.
Each recipient receives $5,000 in financial aid, which will be applied toward the 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 fifth year, now has awarded scholarships to nearly 50 students.
One of the scholarship recipients this year is non-traditional student Tami Liljequist, who worked for 30 years for Eagle Foods Stores before the company closed in 2003.
“Before deciding on a nursing career, I volunteered for nine months at Genesis Medical Center in the emergency department,’’ Liljequist said. “While volunteering, I realized that nursing was my calling. I loved helping and taking care of people, which was all the proof I needed to show myself that I wanted to become a nurse.
“As a nurse, I can have a major effect on my community. My goals are to work for Genesis Medical Center, attain my master’s degree in nursing, and continue to have a significant impact on the health and wellness of others.’’
Kelly Gaul, a graduate of Bettendorf High School, said the rewards of providing care and the future job security of nursing as demand for nurses grows are attractive incentives to a career in nursing. She said, “I get a great amount of satisfaction from helping care for people. Being a nurse will allow me to do this every day, to help people when they are most vulnerable, when they are possibly confused and scared, and when they are in their time of greatest need.
“Another aspect of nursing that I like is the variety of jobs that I could have. Nursing also offers opportunity for advancement and additional life experiences.’’
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.”
