$91,000 in scholarships awarded to support SKCTC healthcare students

Published on Nov 27, 2024

Students in southeastern Kentucky pursuing careers in healthcare will soon benefit from $91,000 in new scholarship funding through the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund. The awards—$70,000 for the nursing program and $21,000 for the physical therapist assistant program—will support scholarships at Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College in collaboration with Appalachian Regional Healthcare.

To secure these funds, institutions were required to partner with healthcare providers, allowing Southeast and ARH to strategically direct the scholarships to meet local and regional healthcare workforce needs.

“We’re incredibly grateful to ARH for their generous support of our physical therapist assistant and nursing students,” said Dr. Erin Reasor, dean of healthcare and technical programs at Southeast. “This partnership allows us to increase scholarship opportunities, helping to alleviate financial barriers so that more students can complete their programs and enter the healthcare workforce prepared to serve our communities. This is a critical investment in our students’ futures and in the health and well-being of southeastern Kentucky.”

The Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund awards, announced as part of CPE’s Healthcare Workforce Collaboratory event in Lexington, are designed not only to fund scholarships but also to strengthen recruitment efforts through community engagement, social media outreach, and support for re-entry and recovery programs. These strategies aim to increase enrollment in healthcare programs, filling critical workforce gaps at the local, regional, and state levels.

“This scholarship project is just one way that our organization is stepping up to the plate to support students throughout our region and we appreciate strong partners like SKCTC for allowing us to be a part of their students journey,” said Dylon Baker, assistant vice president of workforce initiatives at ARH. “By working together with Southeast, we are investing in students, strengthening our workforce, and ensuring that we are prepared to continue delivering high quality care for the years to come."

Scholarship recipients commit to practicing in their healthcare specialty within Kentucky for each year of support they receive, up to two years, ensuring that educational investments benefit local communities directly.

For more information about SKCTC’s healthcare programs, visit southeast.kctcs.edu or call 855.246.7528.