HEALTHCARE WORKERS
don’t grow on
trees, and neither do dollars—that’s why
the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation
established an ongoing endowment fund in
2006 to provide scholarships to local stu-
dents in healthcare felds.
“The Foundation established the
scholarship program to help f ill the need
in Beaufort County for healthcare profes-
sionals in f ields where there are shortages,”
says BMH Human Resources Manager
Chris Watson, who administers the
program. “The students who receive the
scholarships are not required to work in
the community after they graduate, but we
hope they will.”
BMH ofers both a Baccalaureate
Scholarship and an Associates Degree
Scholarship. To qualify, applicants must be
residents of Beaufort County, have been ac-
cepted into an accredited program and have
a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in
high school or college. Tey also are required
to write a 500-word essay on why they have
chosen a career in healthcare.
“Te recession has really afected scholar-
ship dollars,” says Susan Williams, chair of
the Department of Nursing at the University
of South Carolina–Beaufort. “So many pri-
vate organizations have cut their funding for
education. Tese kinds of scholarships can
make a huge diference.”
Get money
for school
If you are considering a
career in healthcare, you
may qualify for help.
Email Chris
Watson, RN, at
cwatson@bmhsc.org
for a scholarship
application or more
information.
more thanmoney
Scholarships give students
Less debt
down the road
For Kristin Beste, who is work-
ing on her doctoral degree in
physical therapy at the University of
Delaware, the $5,000 Baccalaureate
Scholarship from BMH means she
won’t need to apply for as many
student loans this fall.
“Every little bit helps,” says the
23-year-old Blufton resident. “It’s
shocking to see how much I will have
to pay back when I get out of school.
I’ll probably owe about $75,000.”
Most of Beste’s undergraduate
tuition to Clemson University was
covered by scholarships and grants,
but those programs are not available
to students seeking second degrees.
More time
to study
With their more rigorous class
schedules, many graduate students
fnd it difcult to work part time to
help pay for their tuition.
“Between classes and labs, I’m
pretty much running all day,” says
Amanda Palmer, a nursing student
at the University of South Carolina.
“I don’t have time to work during
the school year and keep up with
my studies.”
Like Beste, Palmer was awarded
a $5,000 Baccalaureate Scholarship.
She will put the funds toward
tuition, allowing her to reduce the
amount of money she will need
from student loans.
Better job
opportunities
When Claire Cuda decided to switch
careers and become a physical thera-
pist assistant, she knew it was going
to be a struggle.
“My parents helped me pay for my
undergraduate studies at Clemson,”
says Cuda, who earned a bachelor of
science degree in graphic communi-
cations. “Tis time around, I’m doing
it on my own. I’ve saved some money,
but it’s not enough.”
Cuda, a 24-year-old Blufton
resident, is the recipient of the $3,000
Associates Degree Scholarship.
“It’s helped a ton,” she says. “I
don’t think I’m going to need to get
any loans.”
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Health Scene • www.bmhsc.org