TCAT-Jacksboro Coordinator of Student Services Tim Smith, TCAT-Jacksboro Practical Nursing Coordinator Rae Ellis, Morning Pointe Foundation Scholarship Recipients Mikayla Pierce and Lacey Barber, TCAT-Jacksboro Practical Nursing Instructor Connie Hubbard and TCAT Jacksboro President Debbie J. Petree.
The Morning Pointe Foundation announced the newest recipients of the Morning Pointe Foundation Scholarship at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Jacksboro.
The scholarship at TCAT Jacksboro provides financial support to nursing students who demonstrate academic achievement and exhibit community leadership in geriatrics. Eligible students must meet the following criteria: must have successfully completed one semester, have significant financial need, and be a permanent resident of Anderson, Campbell or Knox counties.
The Morning Pointe Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living. Founded in 2014 by senior healthcare entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow, the 501(c)3 non-profit organization connects educational and wellness initiatives, forms community partnerships and supports caregivers in its mission to advance the care of seniors. The scholarship was created to encourage a growing workforce in the senior healthcare field.
Mikayla Pierce and Lacey Barber, practical nursing students, were each awarded a $500 scholarship, and will be recognized in a reception in late summer.
Ms. Barber, a home health aide, said self-motivation comes naturally to her as a person living with multiple sclerosis. She said her condition pushes her to do her best at school, at work and at home.
“As a single parent, leadership skills are a must,” Ms. Barber wrote in her scholarship essay. “I practice my personal leadership skills on a daily basis raising my seven-year-old son.”
She said she is thankful for the opportunity to work with seniors in the home health setting, some of whom she cared for during their last days.
“These experiences have greatly influenced the way I speak to and treat people,” she continued to write. “Being compassionate is one of the greatest skills I have ever obtained.”
Mikayla Pierce, who is in her third semester, comes from a family of nurses. In her scholarship essay, Ms. Pierce says through her nursing career, she hopes to create a vision for herself, her family and the community. Having done a number of clinicals in the assisted living and hospital settings, she says there is much to be gained through the personal relationships made through caring for seniors.
In addition to TCAT-Jacksboro, Morning Pointe Foundation awards scholarships to nursing students in Athens, Chattanooga, Columbia and Greeneville. The Foundation is also expanding scholarship opportunities through its new nursing program partnerships in Kentucky, aimed at developing a workforce that is equipped to address a growing aging population with changing healthcare needs.
Debbie J. Petree, TCAT-Jacksboro president, says the Morning Pointe Foundation scholarship has made “a tremendous difference” in the lives of the practical nursing students.
“This removes a financial burden, allowing the students to concentrate on their studies,” Ms. Petree said. “The Morning Pointe Foundation’s generosity and support of our practical nursing program demonstrates a commitment to our community in providing quality nursing care in our region.”
Morning Pointe Senior Living began contributing nursing scholarship funds in 2008 to Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga. The Morning Pointe Foundation is expanding its partnership with area colleges to raise awareness of growing career opportunities in geriatrics. To learn more about the Morning Pointe Foundation Scholarship, visit www.morningpointefoundation.com/invest-in-a-scholar.