More than $60,000 in scholarships were awarded to nursing students at National Park College Thursday as part of the nursing division's annual Nursing Honors Day.
"Today's not only about scholarship and achievement," Janice Ivers, dean of nursing for NPC, said. "It's about recognizing the hurdles that our students have gone through and are going through, and our donors and their heart for nursing. Whether it was a donor that experienced a nurse in the hospital and made an impact or whether they're nurses themselves.
"As I looked over the program, I found it very interesting to see the number of our students -- that are no longer our students but we'll always call them our students -- but they're our graduates that continue to come back and give back to this program and to these students. They're not giving to the program, they're giving to the profession. They're giving to the students so that they will go on and continue caring for others just like they are. I think it's really incredible to see that."
A total of 56 scholarships were awarded to 83 students from community organizations and private donors.
Ivers said she loved Barbara Bush, and it would be "unfitting" of her not to share a quote from the former first lady who died Tuesday.
"I wrote this quote down and I know I've said it before, but I had to say it again this year," Ivers said. "Barbara Bush said it so eloquently about giving, she said 'Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others.' And I think we see that. We see that needs are being met by nurses and nursing students' needs are being met by donors. And it causes a phenomenon called perpetual giving, and that's what we want to see is perpetual giving.
"We want to raise up, and I call these students our children really, we get so close with our nursing students. We want to raise them up to turn around and to give back. So today let's celebrate each other and I want to thank you all for giving. Even you students in your futures, think about giving and reflect on the number of people that are coming today that may have received a scholarship when they were in school just like you are."
The following nursing students received two or more awards during the program:
• LaNita Roper received the Dr. Martin Eisele Nursing Scholarship, the Evelyn Hilliard "Second Chance" presented by John Percifull Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Nightingale Honor Award.
• Steven Parham received both the Above and Beyond and the Keep Calm and Study On scholarships.
• Jeffery Barber received a scholarship on behalf of Altrusa International of Hot Springs Village and the Gary Deckard "Gentle Giant" Memorial Scholarship.
• Michel Kouetcha was awarded the Blunt/Welch Caring Scholarship and the Women's Welcome Club Scholarship.
• Jared Bickerstaff was awarded the C. Dale Whitman Nursing Scholarship and South Hot Springs Lions Club Scholarship.
• Rami Crow received the Charlotte Phelps Nursing Scholarship and the Women's Welcome Club Scholarship.
• Sarah Johnson was awarded the Frederick M. Dierks Nursing Scholarship and the Women's Welcome Club Scholarship.
• Sarah Wyatt was awarded the Geraldine Zachery Memorial Nursing Scholarship and the Women's Welcome Club Scholarship.
• Marcella Mendez received the Hot Springs Oaklawn Lions Club Nursing Scholarship and the Tina Crawford Angels Wings Scholarship.
• Brenda Kassem received an award on behalf of Lee and Brenda Richardson as well as the South Hot Springs Lions Club Scholarship.
• Meagon Porter received the Caring Hearts Scholarship in Memory of Ray Cevela and in Honor of Arlene Cevela, as well as the Hot Springs Emblem Club Scholarship.
The following students received an award during the program:
• Ashley Albert received a Diana's Dollars Scholarship.
• Johnny "JD" Arnold Jr. received a Garry G. Newman "Pay it Forward" Scholarship.
• Katelyn Arnold received a Dora Jane Ledgerwood Ellis Scholarship.
• Lacey Ashenberger received the Robbie & Jay Hays Memorial Scholarship.
• Tiffany Beason received a Diana's Dollars Scholarship.
• Stacy Blake received a Hot Springs Village Loan Closet Scholarship.
• Heather Carter received a BAT (Being a Team Player) Scholarship.
• Memory Collatt received a Rex V. McMahan Family Scholarship.
• Tabitha Crossley received a Moving Forward Scholarship.
• John Dale III received a Nightingale Scholarship.
• Karia Daniel received a PN "Spirit" Scholarship.
• Laikin Davis received a Nightingale Scholarship.
• Sandra Davis, received a Rex V. McMahan Family Scholarship.
• Jennifer Dees received a Wencel Scholarship.
• Erica DeFoor received a Women of the First Presbyterian Church Scholarship.
• Olivia Diaz received a Fishing for your License Scholarship.
• Deidra Dobbs received a Scott "Pay it Forward" Scholarship.
• Alexandrea Drake received a Women's Welcome Club Scholarship.
• Britney Estes received a Christ of the Hills Methodist Women Scholarship.
• Danielle Ezell received an Evelyn Hilliard Memorial Scholarship presented by John Percifull Chapter DAR.
• Harlie Felton received a Nightingale Honor Award.
• Bob Floyd received the Patty's "Final Steps" Scholarship.
• Sade Foreman received a Tina Crawford Angel Wings Scholarship.
• Natalie Frizzell received a Women of the First Presbyterian Church Scholarship.
• Jayla Gaines received a Tina Crawford Angel Wings Scholarship.
• Molly Hale received the Joseph Brown Nursing Scholarship.
• Maria Grace Hall received the Bonnie Wheatley Scholarship on behalf of the Hot Springs Emblem Club.
• Maggie Hardage received a Keep Calm and Study On Scholarship.
• Haley Hariston received a Hot Springs Village Loan Closet Scholarship.
• Nomie Haynes received a Dr. Martin Eisele Nursing Scholarship.
• Christy Hodge received the Larry Max Wehunt Memorial Nursing Scholarship.
• Alexis Johnson received a BAT (Being a Team Player) Scholarship.
• Madelyn Jones received an Evelyn Hilliard Memorial Scholarship presented by John Percifull Chapter DAR.
• Heaven Kirk received a Christ of the Hills Methodist Women Scholarship.
• Nicole Lamay received a "Professionalism Award" on behalf of IHC Independence Healthcare Inc.
• Julie Lawhorn received a scholarship on behalf of Glenwood Health and Rehab in honor of Lauralee Bardwell.
• Brittany McBay received a Fawnda Broach & "Friends" Memorial Scholarship.
• James Miles received a Women of the First Presbyterian Church Scholarship.
• Kaylin Murphy received the Andrea LaPaglia Hamby Loving Heart Memorial Scholarship.
• Robin Newcomer received the PEO BJ Chapter Nursing Scholarship.
• Carli Nitch received a Women's Welcome Club Scholarship.
• Erica Noumba received a "Professionalism Award" on behalf of IHC Independence Healthcare Inc.
• Adriana Peret received a Hot Springs Emblem Club Scholarship.
• Molly Poirier received a Women of the First Presbyterian Church Scholarship.
• Hannah Powell received a Nightingale Scholarship.
• Morgan Rodriguez received a scholarship on behalf of the Loyal Ladies of the Garland County Extension in memory of Paula Chandler.
• Lakenya Rutledge received a Rex V. McMahan Family Scholarship.
• Trina Samuels received a Women of the First Presbyterian Church Scholarship.
• Michele Sexson received an Elisabeth Wagner Nursing Scholarship.
• Darian Sims received an Inspire To Be the Best Scholarship.
• Heather Smith received a PN "Spirit" Scholarship.
• Sarah Smith received a Rowe Family Endowment Scholarship.
• Bobbi Songer received a St. Joseph's Nurses Alumni Association Scholarship.
• Courtney Stepp received a Rex V. McMahan Family Scholarship.
• Kelly Swaim received a Dr. Martin Eisele Nursing Scholarship.
• Tammy Sykes received a PEO AP Chapter Nursing Scholarship.
• Courtland Tate received a Suzan Davis Scholarship for Clinical Excellence.
• Keo Thao received the Olds Foundation Scholarship.
• Iemima Toma received a South Hot Springs Lions Club Scholarship.
• Katie Wallace received a PEO CH Chapter Nursing Scholarship.
• Romeo Wendji received a Castaldi Scholarship.
• Dawn Westgate received a Women of the First Presbyterian Church Scholarship.
• Misty Wilson received a "Believe" Scholarship.
• Tanna Winnigham received a scholarship on behalf of the Loyal Ladies of the Garland County Extension in memory of Paula Chandler.
• Katlin Womble received a Women's Welcome Club Scholarship.
• Angelia Yates received the James "Jimmy" Jones Memorial Scholarship.
Local on 04/22/2018