SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., – Regional West Foundation and The Volunteers and Friends of Regional West recently awarded over $35,000 in scholarships to area nursing students, including a $10,000 scholarship to Mitchell resident Marcene Wiegand.

Wiegand, a third year nursing student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) College of Nursing-West Nebraska Division in Scottsbluff, received the Foundation’s first annual unrestricted scholarship. The recipient is chosen from students attending the Western Nebraska Community College nursing program, the UNMC College of Nursing-West Nebraska Division, or the Regional West Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology.

As a single mother, Wiegand said the scholarship is “a true blessing.” “Receiving this scholarship takes a big weight off my shoulders,” she said. “It means so much that the Foundation believes in me enough to share the financial burden of paying for my education.”

In addition to school, Wiegand currently works in Regional West’s Surgical Unit and said she intends to continue working at the hospital following her May 2013 graduation. “I look forward to being able to give back to others and help people cope with what can be a difficult time,” she says. “That’s why I chose to be a nurse.”

According to Regional West Foundation Executive Director Shelley Knutson, the Foundation Scholarship Committee had an impressive list of applicants from which to choose. “Marcene’s dedication to the medical field and her willingness to assist whenever and wherever needed at work made her the stand out,” said Knutson.

In addition to the $10,000 scholarship, this year the Foundation awarded 18 scholarships totaling $16,450.

Funding for Foundation scholarships comes from memorials, community donations, and Regional West employee donations. “These scholarships are possible due to the generous support of the community and our employees,” said Knutson. She stressed the long-term benefits of the scholarships and said, “We hope to retain these talented scholarship recipients as employees here at Regional West or within the western Nebraska area.”

This year the Volunteers and Friends of Regional West awarded 10 scholarships totaling $10,000. The group annually funds RN scholarships for students enrolled at the UNMC College of Nursing-Western Division. For almost 60 years, the hospital’s volunteer organization has dedicated fundraising efforts to furthering the education of the area’s future nurses. Fundraising events include book fairs, jewelry sales, and craft fairs. Proceeds from the Daily Grind coffee cart and the hospital Gift Shop also contribute to the scholarship fund.

Janelle Debes, Assistant Director of Volunteer Services, says that the volunteers awarded their first scholarship in 1953. “Funding local nursing scholarships has been a priority from the organization’s earliest days,” she said. “It’s our hope that by doing so, the nurses we help will choose to stay in the panhandle and share their talents here.”

The Regional West Foundation invites and accepts financial gifts to help support and provide accessible, excellent health care for our community and the region. 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.

Regional West Health Services, with over 1,800 employees, provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people and communities of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. With over 110 active physicians, 95 percent of whom are board certified or board eligible, plus an additional 25 consulting specialists, Regional West offers care that spans more than 30 medical specialties. Regional West Medical Center, a subsidiary of Regional West Health Services, is accredited by The Joint Commission and is one of three Level II Trauma Centers in Nebraska.