Aiken hospital offering scholarships to nursing students in need
The Hospital Auxiliary of Aiken County is offering additional scholarship money to nursing students in need.
Volunteers at Aiken Regional Medical Center raise money through the hospital gift shop annually to provide need-based scholarships to those attending the nursing program.
This year, extra money will be obtainable to further support those with significant needs.
Students can apply for the original scholarship in the spring, with the funds being accessible in the fall. The additional money becomes available in the summer so that it can be given out, as needed, at the beginning of the school year.
To be eligible for the additional money, the recipient must be a full-time nursing student in good standing. It is also required that the student is from Aiken, Barnwell or Edgefield county.
“This is money that is raised locally,” said Dr. Thayer McGahee, dean of the nursing department, “and we want it to go to students who will hopefully stay in this area.”
McGahee is appreciative of the volunteers at the Aiken Regional gift shop and their generosity.
“They are an incredibly wonderful and generous group of people,” she said. “for the volunteers to come forward like this – it just means a lot to us. We have such a strong partnership with Aiken Regional. Our students go there for clinicals, and we try to support them in any way we can.”
McGahee is hopeful for the nursing students at USC Aiken, and she is thankful that there are ways to help when necessary.
“Our students work so hard, they really spend hours here,” she said. “Being able to teach, encourage and advise them through the nursing program is a privilege. Being able to have the extra money to give away is just amazing.”
Image courtesy of Aiken Regional Hospital blog.