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CWIMA Blog

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13
Jul

When Women Help Others: Generosity In The Healthcare Field

Ohio’s own Maria Joseph Nursing and Rehabilitation Center honored one of their most dedicated Sisters with a gift that keeps on giving: a scholarship in her name. The Sister Alice Schoettelkotte Scholarship will provide grants to local high school students and current nursing center staff members who wish to pursue their State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA) certification.

This act of generosity on behalf of the Center parallels the generosity of Sister Alice, who spent her life teaching and counseling students in the name of God. The congregation president, Sister Joyce Lehman, had this to say about her: “Sister Alice embodies the compassionate, listening presence one would hope for in a caregiver. We hope that the recipients of the scholarships will progress not only professionally, but also in their commitment and care for others, inspired by Sister Alice.”

By setting aside $6,500 annually ($1,500 for local students from Trotwood and Northmont, and $5,000 for current Center employees), the Sisters are hoping to continue the legacy of kindness and compassion by encouraging young women to enter the healthcare/caretaker field. As the American population ages, so too does the demand for qualified nursing assistants. As of last year, the home healthcare industry employed about 1.9 million people in nearly 418,000 businesses. Women already make up around 88% of home healthcare workers, and those numbers will continue thanks to the efforts of Maria Joseph Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

In terms of the success of the STNA program, a simple Google search provides pages of positive news, stretching from one end the state to the other. One woman from Bryan, Ohio just retired after 30 years of service, all of which was spent as a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA). Like Sister Alice, she cited care-giving as the most rewarding aspect of her career. A school in Salem, Ohio is also jumping on this generosity bandwagon, as they recently added STNA training into their curriculum and saw their first class graduation.

With so many intelligent and kind women entering and retiring from the healthcare field every day, it’s nice to know that they have a little help and support. When women help women, the world becomes a better place.

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