Scholarship
About Scholarship
WAMMC has a long history of supporting quality nursing at Morristown Medical Center. Early on, the Association helped staff the hospital with nurses and assisted with their housing and uniforms. In 1957, this interest evolved into a formal Scholarship Program, funded entirely by private donations. At that time, one scholarship of $500 would pay tuition costs for the entire three-year program.
Since its inception, the Scholarship Program has supported the staff at Morristown Medical Center by awarding scholarships to qualified hospital employees involved indirect patient care and pursuing careers in the health care field.
As tuition costs rose and recipient financial needs increased, generous donations made annually by WAMMC members, continued to underwrite the program. However, the early 1990s brought an economic downturn, which slowed the brisk pace of donations to the Scholarship Program and necessitated a new approach to ensure the program's future.
A Scholarship Trust Fund was established in 1995, with all scholarship contributions directly benefiting the fund. Presently, the Scholarship Committee spends only the interest generated annually by the fund. In this way, the invested principal remains intact, securing both the fund’s future and the Scholarship Program's mission. Additional annual funds are supported by the operating budget of WAMMC.
Since 1995, the steady growth of the fund has allowed WAMMC to increase both the number of scholarships offered and the amount of funding awarded. For example, since 2007 WAMMC increased the amount awarded from $10,000 to $44,000 in 2019. WAMMC largely attributes the steady growth of this program to the hard work of successful fundraising and the generous donations of WAMMC members.
2019 Scholarship Profiles
MARIA VICTORIA PINILLA
Maria Victoria (Vicky) Pinilla is a Registered Nurse with 31 years experience. For the last 24 years she has worked at Morristown Medical Center, 20 of those years in the critical care unit (CCU).
Vicky has been a role model in the CCU. She readily prepares CCU nurses who are new to the charge nurse role. The unit is busy and a challenge for newer nurses. Vicky remains calm and professional, providing knowledge, support and calmness not often found in a bustling critical care unit
Vicky cares for her critically ill patients and their families as she would for her own family. Her standards of care are impeccable and she expects the same from her colleagues. She gently guides those around her to help attain the best possible patient outcomes. Reflecting her skills and compassion her most recent Performance Review is ‘one who exceeds expectations’. In 2018 she received the Pride and Passion award.
She is a member of the American Nurses Association and the American Association for Critical Care nurses. She is also a parish nurse and participates in health fair activities for parishioners. She also acts as a bilingual translator for her local EMS squad.
Vicky is currently studying to become a Nurse Practitioner at Walden University. She is specializing in Adult Gerontology Primary Care and expects to graduate in February 2020.
Vicky is a strong and deserving candidate for a Scholarship. In a new role as Nurse Practitioner she will enhance both her contribution to the health care team at MMC and thus, the Atlantic Health System.
Scholarship Application
What are we looking for? The committee is in search of MMC employees with a proven employment record. Candidates typically possess high-ranking employee evaluations and are often described as, "Among the best in the department.” The candidates are often leaders in their field as members of honorary societies, as hospital committee chairs, or as participants in department studies. It is not unusual for our scholars to be as actively engaged in their local community, as they are in the workplace.
For further information, please send email to wammcscholar@gmail.com
