Carroll Lutheran Village Employees Awarded Scholarships

Dorm room necessities have been in stores for weeks and school supplies are well-stocked waiting for the back-to-school frenzy to hit a fever pitch. With the first day of college classes just weeks away, nine Carroll Lutheran Village employees have just received scholarships to help fund their educational pursuits thanks to the generosity of Village residents. Some will pursue degrees in other fields, while some will advance their educations in senior living and health care and continue to serve at Carroll Lutheran Village. The 2019 scholarship recipients and their families were honored on July 18 with a private dinner and a reception with residents who have donated to the scholarship fund. Since 2000, resident-sponsored scholarship programs have awarded more than $300,000 to 168 students.

Student Scholarship Program

Scholarships are funded through the Walters Education Fund, which offers paths for student employees (high school students) and full- and part-time employees. Student employees must have worked at least 1,000 hours and plan to enroll full-time in college in the fall. Each receives $500 per semester for up to eight semesters for a total of $4,000. No further employment commitment is required.

The 2019 student scholarship recipients are Micaylah Bowers of Westminster who will attend Gettysburg College, April King of Finksburg who is attending the University of Baltimore, Daniel Lui of Westminster who will attend Towson University, and Catherine Martin of Westminster who will also attend Towson University.

Professional and Clinical Tracks

Professional and clinical scholarships are available for adult employees and are awarded on a competitive basis. “Lives are changed by this,” Suzy Dyer-Gear, Vice President of Human Resources at Carroll Lutheran Village, told residents at a reception honoring the nine recipients and fund donors. “Simply put, many people who get these scholarships could not attend school without your generosity.” Five employees were granted funding to grow their skills and will

Charity Bennett of Finksburg is pursuing certification as an activities director in a health care setting. Sayword Cordon of Westminster is beginning coursework to become a social worker. Speech therapist Johanna Gordon of Mt. Airy is acquiring her VitalStim certification to help residents with swallowing disorders. Cook Julie Ann Nool of Westminster is taking classes to prepare for graduate school, and Samantha Shiloh of New Windsor is working toward a degree in health sciences.

Executive Director John Henry praises the professional scholarship recipients, acknowledging that adding coursework to family and professional lives can be challenging. And he should know – having started his career as an aide. “This program resonates with me. This is how I got started,” said John as he reflected on starting his career as an aide, having a newborn and no way to pursue additional education. “Where I worked took an interest in me and saw some potential and they offered me a path.”

Recruitment and Retention Tool

Scholarships are promoted in recruitment efforts as an additional benefit and have proven to be a powerful retention tool. “Students stay longer because they know they can get the scholarship, and other employees stay longer too,” said Dyer-Gear, who acknowledges that the program helps staff who would like to advance their careers but cannot afford to. “These scholarships make this possible – people bettering themselves in a number of ways.”

Supported by Residents

The scholarship program has been 100% resident funded since its inception in 2000 but focused almost exclusively on student employees until 2013. A sizeable bequest from Village resident Doris Walters enabled the program to expand to include professional and clinical educational opportunities and established an endowment to ensure the longevity of the program. Still, the scholarship program is very much considered a partnership between Village residents and staff, according to Residents Association President Deborah Rio, who took a non-traditional path to her own college degree. She returned to the classroom years after marrying her high school sweetheart, Tom. “It took 28 years and two children later to finally finish my college education,” she said, adding some words of encouragement. “It really doesn’t matter how long it takes to reach a goal that burns within us, only that we strive to complete it.”

Unique Program for Senior Living

“Not every community does this across the country,” said President/CEO Jeff Branch, who told donors and recipients that the program is an investment in today’s – and tomorrow’s – workforce. “We want to be the employer of choice in the community. We want you to come back here someday.”

While there are certainly compelling business reasons to offer a meaningful scholarship program, residents started the program nearly 20 years ago for very different reasons. “The residents of this Village believe in you and want you to succeed,” Rio told the scholarship recipients. And it is for this reason that the Village and residents work together to coordinate an annual drive to support the program. While gifts are accepted any time, the scholarship reception kicks off the fund drive each year. This year the goal is to raise $20,000 by September 30.