New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“At the end of the school year, local students and their families joined the Southcoast Health Ambassadors, leaders, and donors at Southcoast Health’s annual scholarship luncheon.
This year, 28 scholarships were awarded to high school seniors across the region who demonstrated academic excellence and have decided to pursue higher education working towards future careers in the medical field.
“This program is truly special as it reflects Southcoast Health’s commitment to the community. I want to thank the Southcoast Ambassadors for their longstanding dedication to our region’s students, and our wonderful donors for their ongoing generosity. By supporting those who pursue careers in healthcare and medicine, we are ensuring there will be skilled caregivers to serve our region for generations to come,” said David O. McCready, President and CEO at Southcoast Health during the event.
The scholarships, totaling $42,000, were awarded on behalf of all three Southcoast Health hospitals and each student received $1,500 towards their education. This was the highest amount awarded since the program’s inception in 1941 and was made possible by a $1,000 individual contribution from donors, and a $500 match made by the Ambassadors.
Southcoast Health photo.
“Reviewing the scholarship applications this year was an honor. The stories students shared about why they wanted to pursue careers in healthcare were varied and profound,” said Meg Rogers, Chair of the Charlton Memorial Scholarship Committee. “Our committee hopes that the scholarship winners stay in touch and consider coming back to Southcoast Health to work once they’ve completed their courses of study.”
The committee received a total of 141 scholarship applications this year. Recipients were selected based on their cumulative GPA or class rank, written essays, guidance letters and their volunteer or professional work experience.
“This year’s applicants were all worthy of recognition, making our final decision a very difficult one. On behalf of the Scholarship Committee, we wish all of these students success as they begin their journey toward a medical career, and we want to congratulate our scholarship recipients on this achievement,” said Janice Sharp, Chair of the St. Luke’s Scholarship Committee.
“The Southcoast Health Ambassadors’ Scholarship Program is one that is vital to our mission. We are proud that each year the number of scholarships awarded to high school graduates through this program continues to grow,” added Elena Coffey, Chair of the Tobey Hospital Scholarship Committee. “Providing a scholarship is one way for the Southcoast Health Ambassadors to assist a future healthcare provider reach their goal and realize their dream.”
Congratulations once again to each of the scholarship recipients!
To learn more about the Southcoast Health Ambassadors and to help to serve our local community, please contact Jennifer Szabo at 508-973-5752 or SzaboJ@southcoast.orgor Kimberley Coon at 508-973-5006 or CoonK@southcoast.org.
To see the complete list of scholarship recipients go here.
About Southcoast Health
Founded in 1996, Southcoast Health serves communities across southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island as the largest provider of primary and specialty care in the region. The not-for-profit, charitable system includes three acute care hospitals – Charlton Memorial in Fall River, St. Luke’s in New Bedford (a Level II Trauma Center), and Tobey in Wareham, Massachusetts with a physician network of more than 675 providers.
The system has established more than 55 service locations across the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including six urgent care locations, a Visiting Nurse Association, the Southcoast Health Cancer Center, the region’s only Level II Adult Trauma Center and numerous ancillary facilities.
Southcoast Health has been recognized consecutively for six years in a row as a Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospital from 2019-2024 and named a Maternity Care Access Hospital for 2023-2024 by U.S. News & World Report. The organization was recognized as the best place to work for the sixth consecutive year by Southcoast Media Group’s community choice awards.
With upward of 7,500 employees, Southcoast Health is the largest employer in southeastern Massachusetts, and one of the largest employers in the Commonwealth, according to the Boston Business Journal. More information is available online at www.southcoast.org.”
