“We are so grateful to Saint Joseph Health System for supporting our students,” said Dr. Jesús García-Martínez, dean of the Vera Z. Dwyer College of Health Sciences. “Our School of Nursing prepares students to meet the health needs of the communities they serve upon graduation. These exceptional students will provide patients at SJHS with outstanding care, and we are happy to collaborate with Saint Joseph Health System to solve the nursing workforce needs in our community.”
“The need for nurses is a challenge faced by healthcare on a national scale, but it is a challenge that can be addressed with creativity, innovation and local initiatives like these scholarships,” said Loretta Schmidt, SJHS Chief Nursing Officer. “Today’s nursing students may work and care for their family all while taking classes. That dedication and hard work exemplify what it means to be a nurse and to be Called To Care.”
The Shields Endowment Fund for the Education of Professionals in Healthcare and The Foundation of Saint Joseph Health System made the scholarships possible.
Nursing student Katie Liebetrau works as an orthopedic nurse technician and said in her scholarship essay that her job “has inspired me to make a career at the bedside.” She explains her long road to becoming a nurse and concludes her essay by saying, “Let me be a nurse who loves her job so much that she inspires other nurses to remain passionate about this special and rewarding profession.”
Scholarship recipient Ann Packer is a non-traditional student with a husband and three children. Packer says, “nursing meets people during their most vulnerable times and helps them feel better.” Her husband recently lost his job, putting a strain on their finances, and this scholarship “would mean the difference in choosing between gas or groceries. It would provide the peace of mind for my husband and I as we struggle with choosing which bill to pay this week.”
“As community-focused organizations, IU South Bend and St. Joseph Health System both are committed to serving this region. I’m pleased to strengthen IU South Bend’s connection to SJHS and work closely with them to create a healthier community,” said Chancellor Susan Elrod of IU South Bend.
Congratulations to all the scholarship recipients, Jessie Daniel, Connor Dick, Erin Dressel, Katie Liebetrau, Anna Packer and Madison Stout.
