Michigan City nursing student awarded Franciscan Health Michigan City Maria Petti Memorial Scholarship
Michigan City nursing student awarded Franciscan
Health Michigan City Maria Petti Memorial Scholarship
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – When Ebony Thomas
first enrolled in college, she intended to leave with a nursing degree.
“I wanted to go for nursing, but the program
was full, so they suggested surgical tech as an alternative,” the Michigan City
woman said. “I thought it was so interesting and I was enjoying it, then they
came and said a spot opened up and I could come to nursing. I was already two
weeks in and learned so much, so I said, ‘I’ll go back to nursing later.’”
Thomas, now a 41-year-old married mother of
two, is making good on that promise. After 15 years of working as a surgical
technician in South Bend, she is in her final year of nursing school at Purdue
Northwest Westville.
To assist in her efforts, Thomas was
recently awarded the Franciscan Health Michigan City 2023 Maria Petti Memorial
Scholarship. The scholarship fund was established in 2009 as a living
memorial to the late Maria Petti, who served at Franciscan Health Michigan City
for 35 years as a nurse and peri-operative director. Petti died of cancer in
2008 at the age of 53.
The annual scholarship aims to encourage
educational excellence in LaPorte and Porter county undergraduate students and
offer financial assistance of up to $5,000 to those seeking surgical careers.
Scholarship winners are given preferential consideration for Franciscan Health
jobs upon graduation.
“I’m getting my second degree and still
trying to pay off the first one,” Thomas said. “Our oldest son is in college,
too. The scholarship is a blessing. It helped me not have to stress so much
about getting my tuition payment in.”
Sarah Jones, Franciscan Health Michigan City
vice president and chief nursing officer, praised Thomas for her efforts.
“Franciscan Health Michigan City is pleased
to carry on Maria Petti’s legacy with the scholarship named in her memory,”
Jones said. “We congratulate Ebony on her scholarship award and wish her
all the best in her future nursing career.”
The scholarships are funded by donations to the Franciscan Health Foundation.
Donations can
be made online by selecting “Maria
Petti Memorial Nursing Scholarship Fund” in the dropdown menu or by calling
(219) 661-3401.
###
CUTLINE: Ebony
Thomas, seen here on the Purdue Northwest Westville campus, is the winner of
the Franciscan Health Michigan City 2023 Maria Petti Memorial Scholarship.
