Nursing sponsorships awarded

Two MHSC nurses get help with college expenses

Helen Vaughn and Madison Yoak were recently awarded sponsorships from Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County.

The two Educational Sponsorships cover the cost of tuition, fees and books in the Western Wyoming Community College Nursing Program, said MHSC Human Resources Director Amber Fisk. The applicant essays are reviewed by a panel. Preference is given to current MHSC employees.

Yoak has been working as a Nursing Unit Secretary in the Emergency Department since May.

She is in her senior year at Western, but in her first semester of the nursing program. “I graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Health Science, then moved to West Virginia for a year to play D2 softball and dive into forensics,” she said. “I was then accepted into Western’s Nursing Program and moved back home to pursue my dream career and give back to my community.

“It has always been a dream of mine to be a nurse, especially in my home community,” Yoak said. “I have worked in healthcare for a couple years and strive to be a positive change.”

“This sponsorship not only will help with finances, but also gives me a job after becoming an RN,” she said. “With nursing school being so time consuming, I do not take on as many shifts, and this scholarship gives me more financial stability, as well as a goal to strive for.”

Vaughn has worked in the Obstetrics and Women’s Health Clinic of Sweetwater Memorial for nearly seven years. She is in her fourth year of college and first year of nursing.

“I pursued nursing due to mine and my daughter’s past medical conditions,” Vaughn said. “I have always wanted to be a nurse as a child and timing was perfect to start nursing school.

“This sponsorship will help me with the expenses of school, finances at home, and taking a weight off financially,” she said.

Fisk said that’s exactly why the sponsorship was created, and as a way to “grow our own’” and to highlight the hospital’s investment in its employees and members of the community.

MHSC Chief Nursing Officer Ann Clevenger said evidence suggests that by collaborating closely with the community college, MHSC can foster long-term sustainability in the workforce. The sponsorships help to support other state and community scholarships that aid community college students.

“There is an identified need within our community to help foster nursing education and ease a student’s burden for the cost of attending school,” Clevenger said. “Through recruitment and retention efforts, MHSC wants to support our local community college’s nursing program while fostering support for a sustainable nursing workforce within our community. We have always been a collaborative partner with Western’s healthcare program. This is another way to grow this relationship. This will also assist with the growth of our workforce.”