A local Brenau University student pursuing a degree in nursing was recently awarded the inaugural First in Family scholarship by Foothills Area Health Education Center (AHEC).
This scholarship, awarded to students who are the first people in their families to pursue higher education, helps students in our region’s marginalized populations overcome some of the financial challenges they face to pursue and/or complete a post-secondary degree in health care.
“We are committed to helping students in our region attain health careers that will ultimately grow and support our diverse healthcare workforce here in Northeast Georgia,” said Missy Lochstampfor, director of Foothills AHEC. “We felt this scholarship was a good starting point. I’m happy to say we received close to 60 applications this year, which reinforced to us there is a great need, and we plan to continue offering it every year.”
“Being a first-generation student means that all the sacrifices that I have made throughout the years are finally paying off,” said Yareli Aguilar, this year’s scholarship recipient. “Nursing is the field I want to pursue since it is fast-paced and allows you to not only treat patients but also have a significant impact on their lives.”
Foothills AHEC’s mission is to partner with communities to recruit, train and retain healthcare professionals in our region and to improve their supply and distribution in medically underserved areas, ultimately improving the health of our citizens. For more information on the scholarship or Foothills AHEC, please visit foothillsahec.org or call 770-219-8130.
About Northeast Georgia Health System
Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) is a non-profit on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. Our team cares for more than 1 million people across the region through four hospitals and a variety of outpatient locations. Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has campuses in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder and Dahlonega – with a total of more than 750 beds and more than 1,200 medical staff members representing more than 60 specialties. Learn more at www.nghs.com.