b'12THEFORUMPITTSBURGH FOUNDATIONHEALTH CARE WITH LOCAL ROOTS NURSES IN PITTSBURGH BUCK A CONSOLIDATION MOVE TO PRESERVE A LONG-RUNNING SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SCHOLARSHIP.SOME BIG DECISIONS WERE MADEby membersto keep the scholarship here in the PittsburghMembers of the and elected leaders of the Pennsylvania Stateregion, says R. Helen Ference, whose decades- scholarship board Nurses Association when they assembled forlong career includes attaining a doctorate inMildred Jones, Helen Ference, Carol their annual meeting in October 2017. Amonghigher education. We got legal advice andAnn Coles, and them was to end the 14-district system that hadsuccessfully formed the Professional Nurses ofKay Dieckmann, grouped members according to regions sinceSouthwestern Pennsylvania.along with Betty 1917 and move to a digital networking model. The nurses contacted the DevelopmentBraxter (not pictured) reviewed It seemed like an easy decision: onlyand Donor Services staff at The Pittsburgh56 scholarship three districts were still active. But in oneFoundation and by July they had endowed andapplications. Thats of thosethe group covering southwesternstarted the Professional Nurses of Southwesternan increase from the Pennsylvaniafive of its most involvedPennsylvania Scholarship Fund. The goal: toprevious iteration of the scholarship, members, women with a combined 200 yearscontinue awarding scholarships in perpetuity.and they hope the experience in the nursing profession and all withThe award is not need-based. Criteria includenumber of applicants advanced degrees, voted against the move. enrollment in any level of a nursing programwill continue to tick The deep-seated reason: they feared theand completing an essay that reflects theirupward. cherished regional identity of the professionpassion and service to the nursing field. The first local nurses knowing one another and knowingfour winners were announced in May. the important health care issues for their areaTo be recognized by such an accomplishedwould be lost. At the top of their priority list wasgroup is truly humbling, says one of the preventing a regional scholarship program fromwinners, Devin Zydel, a registered nurse in being folded into one covering the entire state. Shadyside Hospitals Pulmonary Unit. He also District Six members got together inexpects to graduate next year from Carlow February of last year and decided that we wantedUniversitys Nurse Practitioner Program.'