SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., – Regional West Foundation and the Volunteers and Friends of Regional West play an important role in regional efforts to “grow our own” health care providers.

Each year, the two non-profit organizations give thousands of dollars in scholarships to panhandle students to pursue nursing education at western Nebraska colleges. The scholarships, ranging from $200 to full tuition, fees and books, helped 32 nursing students pay for their education at the University of Nebraska, College of Nursing – Western Division, this year alone.

Austin Engel, RN, BSN, a 2003 recipient of the Glen W. and Leo Kellett Scholarship offered through Regional West Foundation, is a good example of positive impact the nursing scholarships have on individual students and the region as well. The scholarship helped Engel pay for nursing school and helped Regional West Medical Center gain a dedicated, well-trained registered nurse.

The Hemingford native completed two years of pre-requisite studies at the University of Wyoming, Chadron State College, and Western Nebraska Community College before applying to the UNMC College of Nursing in Scottsbluff. As an upper classman, he found few scholarship opportunities available. Upon his acceptance in the nursing program, he asked UNMC if there were any scholarships for which he could apply. He was happy to hear that a number of nursing scholarships were offered by Regional West Foundation and the Volunteers and Friends of Regional West.

Engel was awarded the Kellett scholarship, one of two Foundation nursing scholarships that pay for full tuition, fees, and books.

“Getting this scholarship meant I could work hard in classes and not have to work full-time during the school year,” he said.

According to Engel the second level of the nursing program was tough academically and the third and fourth levels were time consuming.

“It was nice to be able to focus on school and not worry about a source of income,” he said.

After graduating in December 2005, Engel was hired as a nurse on Regional West Medical Center’s Surgical Unit. In 2008, he became the charge nurse on the unit, and in 2009 he was promoted to Unit Manager. By 2011, Engel’s hard work was rewarded with a promotion to Assistant Director of Risk Management. He has spent several months in training under Risk Management Director Barb Lundgren, RN.

In his new position, Engel talks to patients who have concerns about the care they receive, completes incident reports, determines solutions, and works to prevent similar situations in the future.

“There are days when I miss bedside care, but this position allows me to be a helping hand to assist others as they do their jobs,” he said.

Engel credits his rapid rise through the nursing ranks to his farming-background work ethic, and the Regional West Foundation scholarship with helping him to become a dedicated nurse.

Both the Kellett and Lovercheck nursing scholarships, which provide full tuition, fees, and books, were established by local families with strong ties to the regional agricultural community. Both families established scholarships because of their appreciation for nursing care provided to their families at the hospital and to ensure quality local nursing care for the future.

Linda Mai, Regional West Director of Volunteer Services, said that caring nurses at Regional West have inspired many panhandle families to set up scholarships in honor or memory of their loved ones.

“Our scholarships honor donors whose names are familiar to many in our communities, like the Swanson sisters who taught for many years in Scottsbluff. We offer three $1,000 scholarships annually in the names of Hazel and Annie Swanson and those scholarships have assisted many nursing students in the years since they were established,” said Mai.

“Unfortunately, there are more scholarship requests each year than money to give,” said Shelley Knutson, Executive Director of Regional West Foundation.

Because nursing education costs between $22,000 and $24,000 a year, scholarships pay only a small part of the cost of tuition and books.

“Our students are grateful for any assistance we can provide,” said Knutson. “We hope to continue to build our nursing scholarship funds so we can help more students in the future.”

Regional West Foundation scholarships are available only to nursing students who attend panhandle schools, including WNCC and UNMC College of Nursing Western Division.

“Many of our scholarship recipients return to other panhandle communities, so we want to let people know that we help to recruit nurses not just for Regional West, but for all of western Nebraska,” said Mai. Each year, Volunteers and Friends of Regional West contribute $15,000 to Regional West Foundation for scholarships. The money is raised through the organization’s annual book and jewelry sales.

To learn more about nursing scholarships or to contribute to nursing scholarships through the Volunteers and Friends of Regional West or Regional West Foundation, contact the Foundation office at 308-630-1485 or email knutsos@rwmc.net.