Thank you for giving.

From Nursing Assistants to aspiring Advanced Practice Providers, nearly three dozen clinicians benefit from nursing scholarships. Of these, associate giving provided funding for four of these scholarships. Hear from two of these recipients below.

Vanessa Rodriguez, Certified Medical Assistant

Vanessa Rodriguez is a Certified Medical Assistant working at the ENT and Audiology office at Health First’s Gateway Medical Plaza.

“I have worked in the medical field in several different states – Health First has been one of the few that has openly helped with continuing education,” she said.

“As soon as I made the decision to complete my Nursing degree there was absolutely no hesitation from my Manager and the Providers I worked for when it came to adjusting my schedule.”

Samantha Kelly, Registered Nurse


Samantha Kelly is a Registered Nurse at Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center earning her bachelor degree to become an ICU specialty nurse.

“We should never forget that we could be the patients in our own hospitals, so we must treat our patients as we would wish to be treated. Being intentional in healthcare means seeing the ‘we’ in wellness that Health First promotes.”