The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation has awarded $6,500 in scholarships to area students to assist with their educational costs for the 2016 fall school semester.
Victoria Floyd, Samantha Garrett, Jenny Sawyer and Megan Silveus of Houston and Miranda Prock of Mountain Grove were each recipients of $1,000 scholarships. Kelsey Drone of Mountain Grove received $1,000 from the Dr. Joe L. and Judith T. Spears Memorial Scholarship Fund. Stephanie Gentry of Willow Springs received the $500 Dr. Eugene Charles Honeywell Memorial Scholarship.
Floyd is part of the doctor of pharmacy program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She is a 2010 graduate of Houston High School and anticipates completing her degree program in 2018.
Garrett, a 2016 graduate of Houston High School, will begin her first year at Truman State University this fall. She plans to pursue a degree in exercise science. While in high school, Garrett was a member of the TCMH Youth Ambassador program.
Sawyer is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing through Central Methodist College. She is a registered nurse and full-time employee at TCMH as the infection control director.
Silveus, a 2015 HHS graduate, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing this fall from Missouri State University – West Plains. She was a TCMH Youth Ambassador volunteer and works part time in the TCMH emergency department.
This fall, Prock begins pursuing a master’s degree in speech pathology at Missouri State University in Springfield. She also has a bachelor’s degree in communication science and disorders from MSU.
Floyd, Sawyer, Silveus and Prock have all been previous recipients of scholarships through the TCMH Healthcare Foundation.
Drone is a Cabool High School graduate. She is attending Southern Illinois University, where she plans to pursue a degree in biological science as part of a pre-medical school program. She has also volunteered at TCMH as a Youth Ambassador.
The Honeywell scholarship is selected by the foundation directors and Carol Honeywell, the widow of Dr. Eugene Honeywell.
A full-time licensed practical nurse in the intensive care department at TCMH, Gentry is pursuing an associate’s degree in nursing through the LPN to registered nurse bridge program at Texas County Technical College.
“Educational scholarships are one of the focus areas of the TCMH Healthcare Foundation,” said Jay Gentry, foundation director.
The foundation holds an annual golf tournament to raise funds for educational scholarships for area students. The foundation has received $3,000 in matching funds from Healthcare Services Group Foundation (HSGCF), which provides matching financial assistance to students awarded financial assistance by hospitals that are members of the Healthcare Services Association and insured by the Missouri Hospital Plan. Specifically, HSGCF matches scholarships or healthcare related tuition reimbursement provided by non-profit member hospitals throughout Missouri. This scholarship program is designed to facilitate, attract and retain healthcare providers in Missouri.
“The matching funds from HSGCF enable us to boost the amount of our fall scholarship,” Gentry said. “Every dollar helps these area students with their educational costs, and we’re grateful for the additional funds to award.”
The foundation awards educational scholarships for students pursuing additional higher education each spring and fall. With the recent scholarship awards, the foundation has awarded $73,500 in scholarships to area students since the program began in 2007.
“The healthcare foundation administers the scholarships for the endowed funds, and the scholarships also go to employees working in healthcare-related fields in Texas County and surrounding areas,” Gentry said.
Gentry said the healthcare foundation intends to award two more $1,000 scholarships before the spring school semester in 2017. The foundation will accept applications for the spring scholarships beginning in November.
Applications for the scholarships are available through the foundation or on the TCMH website.
“The foundation board of directors recognizes the growing need for healthcare providers in rural America,” Gentry stated. “It is the hope of the foundation that these scholarships will assist in attracting and retaining qualified residents to work in the local healthcare fields.”