Through generous contributions from association members, peers, colleagues, and community partners, the PNASCNY awards multiple scholarships annually. In past years, our association awarded two $1000 scholarships annually.
Our scholarship program is open to those who reside in our geographic area and are entering or currently enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Scholarships are awarded in consideration of applicants’ academic achievements, leadership, and volunteer activities.
The deadline for 2022 Scholarships is Saturday, March 26, 2023. Applications must be received by midnight.
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Emily is a member of the 2023 graduating class of Binghamton High School. She will be entering the baccalaureate program at SUNY Brockport in the Fall. From a young age, she observed how nurses whom she encountered in both her own and her family's life, in her words, “make a difference” in specialties such as oncology, respiratory, and orthopedic nursing.
She described how advocacy, commitment, compassion, and quality were reflected in the care she witnessed. Emily's involvement in school and community activities are extensive. She is a member of 11 different clubs at school. She is President of Student Council and Co-President of National Honor Society. Through her membership in the National Honor Society, in her junior year, she organized the annual trip to Washington, D.C., taking responsibility for booking transportation, hotels, and meals. Like so many high school students, Emily works part-time. She trains new employees, organizes deliveries, and determines the best routes to ensure orders are delivered on time. Doesn't this sound like the nurse who truly will make a difference, regardless of where her professional career takes her? Her experience as a project manager is sure to be further exemplified as she leads future projects that will improve the health of unique populations. We are honored to be able to support Emily as she embarks on her educational journey to become a Registered Professional Nurse.
Our second scholarship recipient is Maria Khodakovski. Maria will be entering the masters program at Binghamton University in the Fall. Maria earned her Bachelor of Science, Nursing from Western Governors University in 2022. She has worked in health care for nearly 18 years. Her broad range of experiences with diverse populations led to her decision to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse, a specialty we all know desperately needs to expand as we address the social determinants of health and the prevalence of mental health issues we face each day, in every aspect and specialty of nursing. Like Emily, Maria described the qualities of nursing that mean so much to her, her clients, and patients – compassion, effective communication, and advocacy that complement critical thinking, skill competency,and adaptability.
She spoke to her roles as leader, educator, researcher, and change agent. Maria came to the United States from Russia in 2000 at the age of 20. Although she had already established a career path in teaching, she was always looking for new challenges to support her professional growth – and so she decided to become a nurse. Maria described leadership as being able to communicate, motivate, inspire, and educate others – qualities she believes she demonstrates daily where she is employed on a mental health unit at a New York State correctional facility. Maria incorporates evidence-based care into her clients care and pro-actively addresses conflict. She describes the importance of motivating and mentoring other, less-experienced, younger nurses with whom she works. Her volunteer activities in the community included a local disease prevention campaign and educating community members about health and wellness.
Audra is a member of the 2022 graduating class of Chenango Forks High School. She will be entering the baccalaureate program at SUNY Brockport in the Fall. At a young age, she observed her mother who practiced as a nurse in an extended care facility. She was fascinated with both the art and science of nursing. Her recent internship at Lourdes has given her “hands-on” experiences that have solidified her career decisions. Audra's involvement in school and community activities are extensive. She has held positions as Vice President and Secretary for the National Honor Society, which was involved with the “Route 12 Cleanup” project. As a member of Honor Society, she participated in activities for local youth such as “Trunk or Treat” and making “reindeer dust.” Additionally, Audra is a volunteer in her community, dedicating time to feeding the hungry at St. Mary's Soup Kitchen and caring for our four-legged friends at the Humane Society. And somewhere in between, Audra works part-time at a local pharmacy where she has honed skills in effective communication. We are honored to be able to support Audra in her educational preparation for licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse. We know from her life experiences with a variety of age groups that she will be the leader we need to create healthy, diverse communities.
Celia is graduate as valedictorian of the 2022 class at Chenango Valley High School. In the Fall, she will be entering the baccalaureate program at Binghamton University. Celia has been a member of National Honor Society, French Club, and the Student Athletic Club. She is Senior Class President and captain of the Girls Varsity Tennis Team. She, too, has participated in several volunteer events at school and church. 2 of 4 2022 PNASCNY Scholars Recognition As a member of the Interact Club, she has been involved in projects such as Special Olympics, the Big Gifted Give, and Community Night. Through St. Patrick's Church, she has volunteered for events such as Breakfast with Santa, Vacation Bible School, Craft Fairs, and preparing food for those in need. As so many other high school students do, she, too, has found time to work part-time at Taylor Rental as a Children's Party Host. Her experiences with different ages and social situations will be a valuable asset as she pursues a career in nursing. Celia's decision to pursue nursing was ignited as a school-aged child with healthcare experiences offered at the Discovery Center – where she first “played nurse” - as so many of us did as children – a poignant memory for her. It is important for us to remember the value of – and support - these types of community organizations. As Celia has shown, our youth are impressionable – and we can influence their career paths.
Taylor is currently enrolled in SUNY Broome's nursing program. Taylor's experiences with the art and science of nursing began with her grandmother's cancer diagnosis. She recognized the interface between evidence-based medicine and Caring Theory. For the last two years, she has been employed at Lourdes as a Patient Care Technician. She is inspired by the nurses with whom she works day-to-day. Her goal is to become an Advanced Practice Nurse. Her volunteer work – and her decision to pursue a career grounded in healthcare - included participating in the activities of Hope House, a community program in Utica, NY that addresses the social and physical needs of those who are defined as “marginalized.” 3 of 4 2022 PNASCNY Scholars Recognition Her leadership skills were evident in high school, where she and a classmate organized two major projects that addressed a need in her local community. One project involved making gift bags for people receiving chemotherapy. That project exposed her to what “project management” really means as she gained experience in fundraising, collecting donations, and filling and distributing gift bags – a remarkable project for high school students to accomplish. That first success provided her and a classmate with the skills they needed to support a family who was journeying through a situation that included end-of-life care. The two provided the family with meals, gift cards, and groceries; and organized children's activities, recognizing the importance of holistically nourishing the family unit.
Faith Riegal is a member of the 2021 graduating class of Chenango Valley Senior High School. She will be entering the baccalaureate program at George Mason University in the Fall. Her personal experience with the healthcare system led to her decision to become a nurse. She became fascinated with the field of medical science while recognizing that there is an art to nursing.
Faith's involvement in school and community activities are extensive. She has held positions as the secretary for the class of 2021, varsity volleyball captain, and a P2 Positivity Project leader. She attributes her leadership skills to her role as musical lead for the Chenango Valley Theater Guild, having committed over 240 hours to ensure productions were outstanding. Her position at Good Shepherd Village in Endwell has provided her with a wealth of experience in a geriatric setting. She understands the holistic approach to geriatric care – knowledge that will serve her well as she practices nursing and our community ages.
I am sure all of us eagerly anticipate Faith's graduation and licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse. We will need her expertise in advocacy and leadership as we create elder-friendly facilities and services that will have a positive impact on the social determinants of health for this vulnerable population.
Our second scholarship recipient is Paige Sisenstein. She is enrolled in the BAT program at Binghamton University. Like many others, she dared to take a chance as a young adult, applying for a position as an Emergency Department nursing assistant at Cortland Regional Medical Center “with little experience other than [her] volunteer work and a brief shadowing experience.” It was one of us – a nurse – who took her under her wing and inspired her to pursue nursing. It was many of us who contributed to her growth in that role as she gained experience in emergency critical care and eventually was appointed as the ED's nursing assistant educator.
Paige has been on her own since she was 15. She has juggled full time work and her academic studies. She noted in her essay that her leadership skills can be attributed to her role as caregiver for an elder with dementia. She provides personal care as well as coordinates a group of volunteers who assist in meeting the needs of this person, enabling the family to keep him at home. Through her work, she has witnessed how important it is to integrate the concepts of family systems theory into practice.