2008-09 Cumberland Health Care Career Bursaries Awarded

Wednesday, July 9, 2008
AMHERST, NS – The Cumberland Health Authority and its five health care foundation partners have announced the names of the seven recipients of this year’s Cumberland Health Care Careers Bursaries.

This year’s successful candidates are: Christina Beaumont of Oxford who will be attending Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario in the respiratory therapy program; Ashley Bourgeois of Amherst who will be entering her second year in the Bachelor of Nursing program at the University of New Brunswick in Moncton; Julie Canning of Amherst, first year student in the Bachelor of Nursing program at UNB in Moncton; Chelsi Cormier of Parrsboro, who is entering the first year of Bachelor of Nursing at UNB in Moncton; Beth Drummond of Malagash who will be a first year student in the Licensed Practical Nursing program at the Nova Scotia Community College in Springhill; Melanie Pashkoski of Wentworth who will be attending the University of Calgary for a Bachelor of Nursing; and, Jessica Ward of Parrsboro who will also be attending the University of New Brunswick in Moncton for a Bachelor of Nursing.

In addition to confirming the names of the winners, CEO Bruce Quigley announced that the amount of each annual bursary has been increased to $5000 from the previous $4000. “In reviewing the financial position of the program, it was determined there was sufficient funding available to increase the awards,” said Quigley. The bursary program, which was originally intended to fund each student for four years of study, had additional funds available primarily due to some candidates being one or two years into their program of study before applying and therefore not requiring support for the full four years. Additional funding has also been attracted from outside financial sponsors that has resulted in extra resources for the program. “With the ever-rising costs of post-secondary education and after five years of operating the program, we were pleased to be able to increase the bursaries for this year’s entrants as well as those who are already in the program,” he commented.

The program, which is open to Cumberland County students only, requires all recipients to sign an agreement for a "return for service" equal to the number of years for which they receive a bursary. That return for service commitment could include working at any of the CHA’s five health care sites around the county.

The CHA and the bursary program are very fortunate to be supported by five health care foundations - All Saints Community Health Care Foundation, Bayview Memorial Health Foundation, Cumberland Health Care Foundation, Northumberland Community Health Care Foundation and South Cumberland Community Care Centre Foundation. Each of these foundations makes an annual financial commitment to assist the bursary program in addition to funding various projects in support of health care in their respective communities.