Demonstrating its ongoing support for Pennsylvania College of Technology, Susquehanna Health has established an endowed scholarship fund to benefit Penn College students who reside in a nine-county region in northcentral Pennsylvania.
The fund, which is expected to generate more than $10,000 annually for scholarship awards, will benefit students enrolled in the college's School of Health Sciences and residing in Lycoming, Bradford, Clinton, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Tioga or Union counties.
The scholarship is a successor to a previous scholarship fund that benefited Penn College students from 2004-10. In 1986, The Williamsport Hospital established a trust to fund the then-named "Williamsport Hospital College Scholarship," which benefited Penn College students born at the hospital between 1986 and 1992.
Awards from the scholarship fund were made starting in 2004. Any first-year student who had been born at The Williamsport Hospital from 1986-92 was eligible for a $500 scholarship award. In addition, two full-tuition scholarships were available to students born at The Williamsport Hospital and enrolled in a health-care-related program at Penn College.
From 2004-10, 194 students received a $500 scholarship, while eight students received full- tuition awards. Total financial assistance generated by this scholarship program was $180,904.
The original agreement called for the trust to expire following the 2009-10 academic year, with a portion of any surplus funds being given to the Penn College Foundation's general scholarship fund and the remainder being returned to The Williamsport Hospital.
In recognition of its continuing relationship with Penn College, Susquehanna Health decided to commit its portion of the surplus funds to the Penn College Foundation to establish a permanent endowed scholarship fund, which is open to any student residing in the nine counties and enrolled in programs offered through the School of Health Sciences.
"Susquehanna Health and Pennsylvania College of Technology have had a long-standing relationship and coordination of efforts to grow and develop health-care professionals. This is demonstrated by the placement of students pursuing degrees in the health-care field on site at Susquehanna Health's hospitals, through internships and programs in areas such as radiology, emergency medical services, nursing and paramedic services among others," said Susquehanna Health President and CEO Steven P. Johnson. "The Susquehanna Health Endowed Scholarship serves to enhance our shared goal of growing health-care professionals committed to serving northcentral Pennsylvania."
In response to this demonstration of support for Penn College students, the Penn College Foundation agreed to use its portion of the surplus funds to provide the first five years of awards for the newly created scholarship fund, permitting the endowment to grow over that time.
"We are grateful to Susquehanna Health for its continuing support of our students and programs," said Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour. "The Williamsport Hospital College Scholarship enabled many students to pursue their education at Penn College. Awards provided by the new Susquehanna Health Endowed Scholarship will assist many more students pursuing careers in the health-care field."
For more information about establishing a scholarship fund or other ways of making a gift to support Penn College and its students, visit online , call the Institutional Advancement Office toll-free at 866-GIVE-2-PC or e-mail . For more information about Penn College, visit on the Web , e-mail or call toll-free 800-367-9222.