Just as the Class of 2023 was graduating from Kent State University in May, the Rotary Club of Burton-Middlefield (BMR) launched a new Endowed Scholarship for Nursing with Kent State Geauga. This collaboration between BMR and Kent State Geauga is designed to make nursing careers a more attractive, accessible option for local students to both study and eventually work—close to home—in the healthcare industry.
“The generous gift provided by our local Rotary Club demonstrates the enduring commitment this community service organization has made on behalf of our region as a whole,” says Kent State Geauga Dean Angela Spalsbury, Ph.D. “It will improve the educational, career, and healthcare outcomes of Geauga County residents from all walks of life.”
While it directly helps nursing students, the endowment will also help address nursing shortages that currently strain the healthcare industry. According to BMR Past President Beverly Goodridge, “BMR toured the infusion wing at UH Geauga back in 2021 and we were discussing some of the challenges that our hospitals face. Top on the list was nursing shortages and staffing issues. As business people, we solve problems and find ways to work within our resources to get things moving.”
This $25,000 endowment is generating funds, initially for one local student pursuing a career in the nursing field. BMR President Michael Valentino explains, “At this time, the scholarship is only for one student for the Fall 2023 semester, and the award will be $500. The money will be deposited into the student’s account at Kent State and they will be able to use the money for anything at the college (books, tuition, fees, and supplies).”
This scholarship will be available to any student who is a current resident of Geauga County and is enrolled in the Kent State Geauga or Twinsburg Academic Center nursing program.
"The new nursing lab at Kent Geauga has many benefits and Geauga is a standout among campuses when it comes to simulation," adds Melissa Owen MSN, RN, BSN Coordinator/Lecturer at the Kent State Geauga College of Nursing.
Since its establishment in the early 1990s, the Kent State Geauga School of Nursing has effectively prepared its students to excel in the ever-changing healthcare field.
Now, this endowed scholarship will be awarded annually to select students in the program. The earnings from investments of the endowment will supply funds for the school of nursing when issuing the scholarships.
BMR has a long history of providing college scholarships and leadership opportunities to graduating seniors from area high schools. Valentino sheds light on Rotary’s motivation to invest further in the community through higher education: “We have our motto and our Four Way Test. Service Above Self means we volunteer because it’s the right thing to do.”
This endowment was established through BMR’s fundraising efforts, including the Rotary Pancake Club at Berkshire High School and the Maple Splash Raffle. A portion of these proceeds went into the BMR Foundation along with private donations from BMR members. As the foundation grew, BMR was able to fund this nursing scholarship endowment, Valentino further explains.
BMR hopes to continue to contribute to the endowment, increasing its potential to benefit more students in a shorter time frame by donating online or contacting Rebecca Gierman, Associate Director of External Relations, at rgierma1@kent.edu or (440) 834-3761.
Alternatively, local residents and alumni can help strengthen and expand the scope of community service by purchasing Maple Splash tickets. These tickets provide a chance to win generous prizes while raising funds that return to the community through Rotary service projects and events.
“We all stand on someone’s shoulders,” Goodridge says. “Be part of the Circle. My hope is that, one day I am sitting in a hospital with a blood pressure cuff pumping away, and a nurse leans over to say, ‘You're in Rotary? I received a Rotary Scholarship.’ My reply will be ‘Full Circle.’”