THE DALLES — Columbia Basin Care Foundation recently awarded $11,500 in scholarships to five local students pursuing careers in healthcare.
Scholarships of $1,000-$3,000 were awarded in two categories: Residents of the Columbia River Gorge and Employees of Columbia Basin Care, a skilled nursing facility located in The Dalles.
The Columbia Basin Care Foundation supports the work and mission of Columbia Basin Care, the region’s only independent, nonprofit, skilled nursing facility, said a press release. Since 2019, the foundation has provided more than $50,000 in scholarships to help grow and develop expertise of the local medical community.
Recipients of the 2022 Columbia Basin Care Foundation Scholarships are Hailey Anderson, Gillian Nelson, Mireya Jimenez-Magana, Maritza Vasquez and Karen Jesch.
Anderson, of Maupin, was awarded the Asher Anderson Award, a scholarship of $3,000 given in memory of Asher, who passed in 2008 and for whom Columbia Basin Care established a scholarship tribute. A 2022 graduate of South County High School, Anderson plans to attend Linfield University to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. “I am honored to be the first of my family to attend college,” she says.
Nelson, of Dufur, was awarded $2,500 to pursue a master’s degree in nursing education. She currently works as a clinical supervisor at Bristol Hospice (formerly Heart of Hospice). “My ultimate goal is to become a nurse educator,” said Nelson. “It takes a dedicated nurse to bring out the ability to care, comfort, and support patients and their families. This scholarship will allow me to continue my education so that I can teach the next generation of nurses.”
Jimenez-Magana, of Hood River, was awarded $2,500 as she begins medical school at Oregon Health and Science University. She holds a bachelor’s of science degree in biology from Gonzaga University and has spent two years working as a certified nursing assistant. Upon graduation, Jimenez-Magana intends to work as a medical doctor serving Spanish-speaking communities. “Growing up in a migrant family and being surrounded by other migrant families has propelled me to serve that demographic,” she said. “I see the need for Spanish-speaking doctors every time I enter a medical setting.”
Vasquez, of The Dalles, was awarded $2,500 to pursue studies at Columbia Gorge Community College. She has worked as a certified nursing assistant at Columbia Basin Care for more than 10 years and serves as a care coordinator at Mid-Columbia Center for Living. Vasquez aspires to a career as a nurse practitioner. “I want to keep learning, growing, and making a difference,” she said.
Jesch, of The Dalles, is a previous recipient of the Columbia Basin Care scholarship and was awarded $1,000 to continue her nursing education. She has worked as a certified nursing assistant at Columbia Basin Care for four years while also attending nursing school at Columbia Gorge Community College. This fall she will begin work toward a bachelor’s degree in nursing at Bushnell University. “Columbia Basin Care has been with me from the start of my education career,” said Jesch. “I am so very grateful for every single person I have met and interacted with here.”
The Columbia Basin Care Foundation is the charitable arm of Columbia Basin Care, the region’s only independent, nonprofit, facility for short-stay rehabilitation and long-term care.
“We received a record number of applications this year, which speaks well for the future of health care in the Columbia Gorge,” said Mike Courtney, member of the Columbia Basin Care Board of Directors. “Thanks to the generosity of those who donate to the Columbia Basin Care Foundation, we are able to improve the lives of those we serve and support the education of those who care for others.”
Columbia Basin Care is located at 1015 Webber St. in The Dalles. To learn more or to donate to the foundation, go to colbasin.com/foundation, or contact Aubree Schreiner, executive director, at 541-296-2156.
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