Last week, at the Annual Nursing Celebration Dinner at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), the AAMC Foundation awarded 12 scholarships totaling $60,000 to deserving AAMC nurses to further their education and careers. Scholarship recipients were selected based on a number of criteria. The annual nurses’ dinner celebrates nurses and recognizes their commitment to the community.
In addition, the Medical-Surgical Unit was awarded the “Extraordinary Advances in Patient and Family Centered Care” Award through the generosity of an endowment from Dick and Janet Davidson. Mr. Davidson is former CEO of the American Hospital Association (AHA), serving from 1991-2007 in that role. From 1969-1991, he served as the first president of the Maryland Hospital Association (MHA). Davidson and his family have endowed this prestigious award.
The scholarships are endowed through donations to the AAMC Foundation from individual and corporate supporters. They are designed to encourage and support AAMC employees who have been employed more than six months and are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate nursing program.
“Our supporters take great pride in honoring our nursing staff and recognize that an investment in nursing is an investment in the future of patient care,” said Lisa Hillman, president of the AAMC Foundation.
“These scholarships will make a difference not only in the lives of the recipients, but they will have a lasting impact on our patients whose lives are touched by a nurse each and every day,” said Sherry Perkins, chief nursing officer and chief operating offer, Anne Arundel Medical Center.
The Nursing Scholarship Endowment began in 1990 as a memorial to Marlene Reiter, a registered nurse at AAMC. Since then, the AAMC Foundation has established an endowment fund and distributed nearly $500,000 to 175 AAMC recipients by donations from community leaders and corporations.
Scholarship recipients are chosen by the Nursing Scholarship Committee, which includes nurse managers, previous scholarship recipients, AAMC Foundation and other leaders within the organization.
This year’s recipients are:
June Brouse – George and Patricia Benson Nursing Scholarship
Susana Bradbury – Al & Mary Vittek Nursing Advancement Fund
Erin Spaniol – Shirley A. Wheeler Nursing Scholarship
Jennifer Dupre – AAMC Medical Staff Nursing Scholarship
Debbie Sears – John W. Gosselin Nursing Scholarship
Melanie Lee – Sheehy Nursing Scholarship
Kathy Bieler – Shelley Alion and Robert Welch Nursing Scholarship
Denise Schmitt – Gus & Marjorie Berlitz Charitable Trust for Nursing Advancement & Excellence
Cheryl Briggs – Balfe Clifford Nursing Scholarship
Brittany Townsend – Community Fund Nursing Scholarship Award
Catherine Riordan – Izzo & Patane Nursing Scholarship
Karmell Wilson – Gordon & Jean Wells Nursing Scholarship
In addition to the scholarship recipients, the nurses took the time at the dinner to honor their outstanding partners with awards:
Dr. Mark Hamil, anesthesiology- Outstanding Physician Partner
AAMC Pharmacy- Outstanding Clinical Partner
In photo: Susana Bradbury, AAMC Labor and Delivery, is this year’s recipient of the Al & Mary Vittek Nursing Advancement Fund. Susana poses with CDR Albert W. Vittek, USN (Ret) at the Annual Nursing Celebration Dinner at Anne Arundel Medical Center.