Oakwood Scholarship Program Aids Current and Future Healthcare Workers

More than $100,000 awarded to support education and advancement

DEARBORN, Mich., May 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Oakwood Healthcare Foundation recently awarded a total of 84 scholarships to Oakwood employees, student volunteers and residents of Oakwood Common retirement community totaling more $100,000.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100521/DC08985)

"Our scholarship program allows nurses and other professionals to continue their education, hone their skills and achieve their career aspirations," said Carla O'Malley, executive director, Oakwood Foundation. "Donors get the joy of helping someone achieve their dreams and our patients and the community benefit by receiving care from better educated, better trained and more highly motivated professionals."

The employee scholarship program fills a financial gap for many employees furthering their educational goals and is made possible through the generosity of many community donors.

"Scholarships have the power to change lives in a way that few other investments can achieve," said Brian Connolly, president and CEO, Oakwood Healthcare, Inc.  "Because of our donors, these scholarship endowments will continue to make a tremendous difference in the lives of Oakwood Healthcare professionals who have the potential to become our leaders of tomorrow."

Each year, more than 34 scholarship opportunities are available for applicants. Of those, one scholarship in particular supports the pursuit and advancement of nursing with a fully-funded education. The Alberta Muirhead endowment provides a full-tuition scholarship to two outstanding nursing applicants each year.  

The annual awards and recognition program was held at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center in Dearborn. For more information about the Oakwood Healthcare Foundation and its scholarship program, call 313.586.5234 or visit www.oakwood.org/foundation. To view the 2010 Oakwood scholarship video, visit the link on YouTube.  

SOURCE Oakwood Healthcare System