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 $50,000 in 2023. WAMMC largely attributes the steady growth of this program to the hard work of successful fundraising and the generous donations of WAMMC members.
WAMMC AWARDS 25 SCHOLARSHIPS IN 2023
Each year WAMMC Scholarships are awarded to outstanding Morristown Medical Center employees to help further their continued education, development and leadership skills in the hospital and healthcare field. In 2023 our Scholarship Awards Committee awarded $50,000 in scholarships to a total of 25 employees. Two of the 25 recipients were supported by donations made from the Cromwell Olive Twig and the Chatham Twig.
We are grateful to all of our donors for their generous contributions to this program, enabling us to continue our Scholarship Program to assist hospital employees in attaining their advanced healthcare-related educations, which is critical to providing expert care for our patients.
Congratulations to all of the WAMMC 2023 Scholarship Awards Program recipients listed below.
Kanisha Boyd-Basden, Nurse Manager, Davino 1
Kellie Carey, Nurse Educator, RN, SICU/MICU
Christine Ciprich, RN/BSN, CCRN, Gagnon 1/Davino 1
Anna Cooke, RN, Gagnon A
Hyrie Cosaj, RN, SICU/MICU
Emma Creter, RN, SICU
Kelly D’Aries, Infection Preventionist
Elizabeth Del Pino, Speech & Language Pathologist, Deskovick B
Kelsey George, RN, SICU
Alexandra Germani, Assistant Nurse Manager, Emergency Department Level D
Taban Jaaf, RN, Gagnon 5
Lenika Jean-Phillipa, Greeter/Scanner, Simon 1
Christen Kilgore, RN, Rapid Treatment Unit Level D
Tara Kinney, RN, Gagnon D
Caitlin Lietz, RN, Women’s Cancer Center
Megan Lucas, RN, PICU
Kelsey Manahan, RN, PICU
Rachel Millet, RN, Labor & Delivery
Kristi Mobus, Data Coordinator, Emergency Department
Kim Palmeri-Naman, Physician Assistant, Gagnon 4
Keilia Rodriguez, RN, Deskovick 4
Mollie Rosenkrantz, Interim Nurse Educator, ICU/MICU
Jennifer Rowe, RN, Gagnon 5
Jacqueline Vindici, RN, Kahn 3
Danielle Walker, RN, Gagnon D
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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.
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For further information, please send email to wammcscholar@gmail.com
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2023 Scholarship Profiles
KANISHA BOYD-BASDEN
Kanisha Boyd-Basden, RN Nurse Manager on Davino 1, is a dedicated team member who supports the professional advancement of her team while pursuing her own professional advancement. Kanisha has strong clinical knowledge and is a team player who is always ready to help a colleague in need.
Kanisha was nominated for the 2022 NJBIZ Healthcare Hero for creating a program called NA Bootcamp. She wrote the curriculum and worked with the education department to plan and strategize ways to teach non-clinical team members to be clinical partners who can transition into positions where they can help provide safe, direct patient care. Thus far, 36 team members have been part of this program. The goal is to run additional programs at MMC and eventually for all Atlantic Health hospitals.
Kanisha has facilitated other creative initiatives. Dance for Diabetes, an exercise series for team members, and Sock It To Homelessness, a sock drive to benefit the community, were both well received. She has also served as the healthcare disparities lead in the African American Business Resource Group, collaborating with the BRG to construct programs and clear representation for Atlantic Health.
Currently enrolled in Walden University, Kanisha anticipates graduating in 2025 with a degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. WAMMC congratulates Kanisha as she continues to ensure that her knowledge and skill is applied to advancing nursing at MMC