Karen Zerr (seated, left), Marilyn Bock and Gayle Horn reflect on the stories of recent recipients of the Friends of SSM St. Joseph Auxiliary Nursing Scholarship.
$135,230 – Endowment Fund value
$90,000 – Academic program support
$85,444 – Student scholarships
Friends of SSM St. Joseph Auxiliary giving goes a long way while benefits remain close to home
TRANSFORMING LIVES AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES
With missions that are similar in nature, it is no wonder that the Friends of SSM St. Joseph Auxiliary and the SCC Foundation have forged a lasting partnership. In the five years since the Friends of SSM St. Joseph Auxiliary Nursing Scholarship was established at SCC, it has provided $30,000 in scholarships, benefitting 14 nursing students. “We are thrilled to give scholarships to local nursing students who will end up working in our community,” said Karen Zerr, member of the Friends of SSM St. Joseph Auxiliary. The auxiliary, founded in 1935, has provided scholarships in the community since 1991. However, the process of promoting and awarding scholarships eventually became too much for the group to handle alone. That’s when they turned to SCC. The Friends of SSM St. Joseph Auxiliary gives three $1,000 scholarships annually to SCC nursing students. But since the SCC Foundation matches civic and volunteer organizations’ scholarship donations, their money goes twice as far. “It’s a win-win for everyone,” Zerr said. As a retired nurse, Zerr knows nursing is more than just a job. “We believe SCC nursing students are fully invested and will someday make wonderful nurses,” she said. “It makes us feel good to know we are furthering their education.” The St. Charles Community College Foundation is an independent, 501(c)3, not-for-profit corporation formed to solicit, receive and administer gifts, grants, bequests and donations to support the educational purposes of the college.
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