The Lawrence Respiratory Foundation recently named National Park College students Taylor Clark and Amy Cofar recipients of its Professional Achievement in Respiratory Care scholarship, for which each received $1,800.
The all-volunteer foundation uses 100% of donated funds to offer the scholarship grants and support NPC enrollees of the program.
Selected recipients participate in an interview with the foundation's board of directors, and are required to have a minimum 3.0 GPA. They must also be members of the American Association for Respiratory Care, as well as the Arkansas Society for Respiratory Care.
"I did my undergrad at the (University of Arkansas) Fayetteville," Clark, a Little Rock native, said. "I paid way too much money to go to school there for four years, and when I started this program, I realized how much I loved it and that I've wasted four years and a lot of money."
Clark's mother died in January after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, along with liver cancer. While she began the respiratory program at NPC to learn how to take care of her mother, she is using her mother's struggle and the situation as inspiration and motivation to further extend her career path into the field.
Cofar, who came to NPC from Lake Hamilton, said she had a somewhat similar family experience, in that it was her grandmother's inspirational encouragement and drive that motivated her to enter the field.
She said she chose NPC because it was close to home.
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"My grandmother inspired me to follow this path," she said. "She had COPD and I was very impressed by the respiratory therapists that were by her side caring for her. The respiratory therapy program at NPC allowed me to be closer to home so I could spend more time with my grandmother and my family."
She said after she leaves NPC, she plans to continue her higher education pursuit in becoming a geriatric respiratory therapist.
"Receiving this scholarship means a lot to me because I can now pay off my tuition without using up all of my current scholarships," Cofar said. "After NPC, I want to get my bachelor's degree at (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) while working part-time to grow my skill sets."
She noted she also has an interest in pediatric care and that could be an option for her later.
Clark said she is still unsure of what she would like to accomplish.
"My mom passing has really put a damper in what my plans were, so I plan to stay here because I expected to be here taking care of her," she said. "So I don't know. I have no children; I am not married, and my dog -- it has four legs and, like, I can go anywhere. I'm very open to all possibilities."
She said the atmosphere at NPC is unmatched, and her teachers and classmates played a huge role in helping her heal following the death of her mother.
Chair of the Lawrence Respiratory Foundation, Gretchen Lawrence, said she sees great things ahead for both girls.
"Both Taylor and Amy are personable and articulate with positive attitudes about the career path they have chosen," she said in a news release. "Both know what their role will be in the health care setting, not only because of having clinicals as part of their curriculum but also because they have had friends and family members with lung conditions that were serious enough to bring them to the hospital for care."
Clark and Cofar said they would like to thank Lawrence Respiratory Foundation President Gretchen Lawrence and the rest of the board, along with all of those who donated. They also expressed their appreciation to NPC for all it offers and did for them.
National Park College respiratory therapy students and recent grant recipients Taylor Clark, left, and Amy Cofar discuss their scholarships at the Frederick M. Dierks Center for Nursing and Health Sciences. - Photo by Donald Cross of The Sentinel-Record