Kansas Nurses Foundation 2002 Scholarship Awards

Kansas Nurse, Oct 2002

From its inception the Kansas Nurses Foundation's purpose has been to receive and manage funds derived from memorials, gifts and contributions; and to apply the income in order to support nursing education and scientific-activities through grants, loans and scholarships to individuals, organizations and institutions engaged in nursing education. This is the twenty-second year that KNF has given scholarships for nursing education. A total of $83,600 in scholarships and research grants have been given since 1981 to 203 students throughout the state of Kansas. Two of the 15 winners this year were awarded $300 scholarships, 12 were awarded $500 scholarships and three were awarded $1,000 scholarships.

KNF General Scholarships

Melissa Batterton, Hutchinson, is a 1999 graduate of Wichita State University with a bachelor's degree in nursing. She is currently attending Wichita State University in the graduate nursing program. Batterton began her education at Bethany College, followed by Tulsa Community College. She has worked as a nursing student at Wesley Medical Center, and currently is a registered nurse at Hutchinson Hospital, where she provides nursing care in the hospital's medical-surgical unit. Batterton has been a member of the Kansas State Nurses Association, District 7, since 2000, as well as a member of Sigma Theta Tau. After completing the family nurse practitioner program, Batterton hopes to work in a community/public health setting in or around the Hutchinson area. In the future, she would like to become an instructor for an RN program.

Angela Cofer, Basehor, is currently attending the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) to earn her bachelor's degree in nursing. She has previously attended the University of Kansas and Kansas City Kansas Community College. The Kansas University Student Nurses (KUSN) association has elected Cofer as First Vice President. That position provided her with the opportunity to represent her school at the national NSNA convention. She has also been involved in the Kansas Association of Nursing Students. Cofer works as an OB technician for the KU Medical Center in labor and delivery. She has also worked as a certified nurse aide at Vintage Park Assisted Living. After obtaining her degree, and working for a few years, Cofer plans to return to KUMC to pursue a master's degree in nurse anesthesia.

Amanda Johnson, Newton, is enrolled at Wichita State University as a graduate student in the master of science in nursing program. Her clinical major is psychiatric-mental health nursing. Johnson received her bachelor's degree in nursing from Emporia State University in 1998. Upon completion of graduate school, Johnson would like to become a clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric/mental health, and then complete the family nurse practitioner program. Johnson has spent many of her summers working as a lifeguard, swim instructor, lifeguard training instructor, CPR and first aid instructor. She currently is an adolescent team staff registered nurse for Prairie View, Inc. where she has also worked as charge registered nurse of the child team. She is a member of the Kansas State Nurses Association, District 4, and has served as secretary for her district, and chairperson on the membership committee. Johnson has been a member of Student Nurse Organization, National Student Nurses Association, and the Kansas Association of Nursing Students.

Teresa Snyder, McPherson, is attending Fort Hays State University to earn her bachelor's degree in nursing. She received an associate's degree in applied science from Barton County Community College in 1993, and she was a graduate of the practical nursing program at Colby Community College in 1992. Snyder is currently employed on the step-down ICU unit at Salina Regional Health Center where she cares for critically ill patients and recent open-heart surgery patients. She has worked at Memorial Hospital, McPherson, in the medical-surgical unit, and was a charge nurse at Bethesda Health Care, Smith Center. Snyder would like to continue her education at Newman University in the nurse anesthetist program, and earn her master's degree in nurse anesthesia.

Jane Tanking, Seneca, is currently attending Fort Hays State University in the master's degree in nursing program, and is also working on her master's degree in administration and education. She received her bachelor's degree in nursing from Marymount College of Kansas in 1982. Tanking has been employed by the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital as director of nursing services since 1996. She began her nursing career at Sebetha Community Hospital as a floor nurse, infection control nurse, surgical nurse, and she began the Lifeline Program (Personal Emergency Response Program) and initiated the Swingbed Program (skilled care program for rural hospital). After joining Nemaha Valley as a surgical nurse, she advanced to utilization review, swingbed coordinator and discharge planner. Tanking is working to provide nursing education in rural communities, especially for non-traditional students.