Recipients of AORN Foundation scholarships announced - AORN Scholarship Program

AORN Journal,  Feb, 2004  

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The AORN Foundation was established in 1991 as a counterpart to AORN. The purpose of the Foundation is to support the members and the purposes of AORN. One of the Foundation's most important and rewarding activities is raising funds that support scholarships for nursing students enrolled in educational programs leading to initial RN licensure and AORN members who are pursuing additional education as a means of advancing their knowledge and careers.

Each year, AORN's President-elect selects the members of the Scholarship Committee and the chair. The 2003-2004 Scholarship Committee members are Kathleen B. Gaberson, RN, PhD, CNOR, chair; Sharon L. Chappy, RN, PhD, CNOR; Patricia Stein, RN, MAOL, CNOR; Linda J. Timmons, RN, CNOR; and Susanne M. Whitmer, RN, MEd, CNOR. Nathalie Walker, RN, BS, MBA, CNOR, is the AORN Board liaison to the Scholarship Committee, and Ruth Vaiden RN, CNOR, CRNFA(E) is the liaison from the Foundation's Board of Trustees.

The Foundation, through the AORN Scholarship Committee, awards significant funding to individuals who fulfill scholarship application requirements and are selected as recipients. Committee members are charged with reviewing scholarship applications in an objective manner, using preset criteria. To ensure a fair appraisal for each applicant, Committee members strictly adhere to the criteria, as detailed on the Foundation's section of AORN online at http://www.aorn.org. Click on the AORN Foundation logo, then on the "Scholarship" box at the top of the page for more information.

Scholarship applications must be postmarked by May 1, 2004. When all applications are received, committee members review the applications for complete information, including the applicant's professional goals, grade point average, which must be at least a 3.0 on a four-point scale at the time of application and during the period for which a scholarship is awarded), financial need, and contributions to AORN. Some scholarships carry additional criteria, such as geographic location or membership in AORN. Each committee member reviews all applications. The committee meets in late spring or early summer to select scholarship recipients. Applicants who have been chosen for an AORN Foundation scholarship for the 2004/2005 academic year will be notified by August 1, 2004.

In the fall of 2003, the Scholarship Committee awarded 81 scholarships for a total of $120,600. At the end of 2003, the Foundation received an unusual opportunity to honor existing donor designations and funding held over from previous years. The Foundation thus awarded educational incentive grants to other educational assistance applicants. The list of donors and recipients of these educational incentive grants will be detailed in a future issue of the AORN Journal.

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS

Endowed Scholarships include the following companies, individuals, and organizations.

* 3M Health Care Endowment;

* AORN Golden Gavel Student Nurse Endowment;

* Brenda C. Ulmer, endowed by Valleylab;

* Certification Board Perioperative Nursing Endowment;

* Dr Jane C. Rothrock RNFA Endowment;

* Louisiana State Council of OR Chapters;

* Michael D. Corley Memorial, endowed by AORN Exhibitors' Advisory Committee;

* Patricia C. Seifert Perioperative Nursing Internship;

* President George Bush, endowed by AORN of Greater Houston;

* Ruth P. Shumaker Endowment;

* William A. Clarke Endowment; and

* Kimberly Clark.

NAMED SCHOLARSHIPS

Contributors of 2003-2004 named scholarships include the following companies, individuals, and organizations.

* Alcon Foundation;

* Ansell Healthcare;

* AORN RNFA Specialty Assembly;

* Certification Board Perioperative Nursing;

* Cross Country TravCorps;

* Hyundai Motor America;

* Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies;

* Kimberly Clark;

* Linda K. Groah, RN, MS, CNOR, CNAA, FAAN;

* Olympus America;

* Oregon State Council of Perioperative Nurses;

* Sandel Medical Industries;

* Scanlan International, Inc;

* Tyco/Healthcare/Kendall-LTP

* Valleylab;

* Virginia State Council of OR Nurses; and

* Zimmer, Inc.

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Photographs of AORN scholarship recipients are featured on pages 490 to 492 of this article. The following AORN member scholarship recipients are not pictured:

* Tracy Albanese, Shephardstown, W Va, Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Scholarship;

* Sandra Albright (MSN), Seminole, Fla, Certification Board Perioperative Nursing Education Scholarship;

* Myree Troutman App (BSN), Royersford, Pa, Zimmet Educational Scholarship;

* Tommy Armstrong, Smithville, Miss, Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Scholarship;

* Katherine Barry, Raleigh, NC, Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Scholarship;

* Tricia Beam, Douglassville, Pa, Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Scholarship;

* LaDina Boyer, Winter Springs, Fla, Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Scholarship;

* Rachel Coombs, Billings, Mont, Tyco Healthcare/ Kendall LTP Education Scholarship;

* Michelle Crine, Norristown, Pa;