Without FHN's scholarships, I know I would not be where I am today.
Sarah Marsh always wanted to be a nurse. By age six, she had it narrowed down even further – she set her sights on becoming a nurse practitioner. Today, Sarah is thrilled to have fulfilled her childhood dreams, with career training and scholarship help from FHN.
After she graduated from Dakota High School, Sarah moved to Freeport, enrolled at Highland Community College, and started working at FHN as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
She soon realized she had a long road ahead of her, trying to work full-time and go to school. So she applied for the Mildred F. Ferguson Associate Degree in Nursing Scholarship. Endowed through the FHN Foundation, the scholarship would allow Sarah to work part-time at FHN and be a full-time student Monday through Thursday. It also allowed her to still receive a paycheck equivalent to full-time work, in addition to paying for tuition, fees, and books.
It took just two years for Sarah to earn her nursing degree. She then went on to receive her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 2014, with the help of another FHN scholarship program. She immediately enrolled in graduate school, earning her Master of Science degree in Nursing – Family Practitioner certification in May 2017. FHN's scholarship programs again provided financial assistance.
"I owe so much to FHN and those who support the scholarship programs," Sarah says. "They invested in me. There was never any question as to where I would work after completing my education. I am incredibly appreciative of FHN's faith in my dreams and my skills.
Sarah is now a Nurse Practitioner Hospitalist at FHN Memorial Hospital. She shares, "My husband is a member of the Freeport Fire Department, and we have made Freeport our home. We are both dedicated to taking care of our family, our friends, and this community."
2021 Scholarships
FHN is proud to offer a number of scholarships for students pursuing careers in healthcare. Please read the description of each scholarship carefully, then download and apply for the one(s) that fit you.
Healthcare Career Scholarship Program
To uphold the Mission of FHN and services we provide in our communities through the support of future healthcare professionals, FHN is providing up to three $1,000 scholarships to students pursuing specific healthcare careers.
Deadline for applications is Friday, Sept. 3, 2021.
Applications will be accepted from any student residing in FHN's service area and currently enrolled in an accredited program of study involving the following healthcare careers:
Behavioral Health Fields (Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Social Work)
Cardiac, Diagnostic or Vascular Ultrasound
Certified Medical Assisting
CT Technology
Health Information Management (HIM)
Information Technology (with a focus on healthcare)
Medical Technology / CLS / MLS
Nursing (BSN)
Rehabilitation Services (PT, OT, PTA, COTA, SP)
Pharmacy
Benefit-eligible staff of FHN may not apply.
To apply:
Complete the application form
Provide evidence of a current GPA of 3.0 or better
Participate in an interview, if selected as a finalist
Submit a typed, approximately 500-word essay responding to the following question:
Why did you choose your career path, what have you done to support it, and how would it benefit FHN's service area?
All entries will become the property of FHN and will not be returned.
Funds will be disbursed to the winning students' college or university to be applied toward expenses for the Spring 2022 term.
Dates to Remember:
Deadline for applications submission – Friday, September 3, 2021
Finalist interviews conducted October thru November 2021
Winners announced and funds disbursed in December 2021
For more information, call FHN Human Resources at 815-599-6336 or email cboeke@fhn.org.
Volunteer Resources Scholarship Program
One $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in a fully accredited college with a major in a healthcare field. The student MUST be an active member of the FHN Student Volunteer Program with a minimum of 40 career hours.
Deadline for applications is Friday, Sept. 3, 2021.
Applications will be accepted from any student currently enrolled in his or her senior year of high school or in an undergraduate program of study leading to a healthcare career.
To apply:
Complete the application form
Provide evidence of a current GPA of 3.0 or better
Participate in an interview, if selected as a finalist
Submit a typed, double-spaced one-page essay on the topic:
How has your volunteer experience at FHN contributed to your personal career goals?
All entries will become the property of FHN and will not be returned. Essays will be evaluated on writing style including grammar and spelling, along with creativity and originality.
A check will be made payable to the winning student's college or university and mailed to the student. Monies must be applied to direct expenses for the current year's term(s).
Dates to Remember:
Deadline for applications submission – Friday, September 3, 2021
Finalist interviews conducted October thru November 2021
Winners announced and funds disbursed in December 2021
For more information on becoming a volunteer at one of FHN's facilities, contact FHN Volunteer Services at 815-599-6752.
For more information about this scholarship, call Carol Boeke in FHN Human Resources at 815-599-6336 or email cboeke@fhn.org.
Diversity Healthcare Career Scholarship
At FHN, our effectiveness at using the talents of people of different backgrounds, experience and perspectives is key to successfully achieving our mission and strategic business objectives.
To uphold the Mission of FHN and services we provide in our communities through the support of future healthcare professionals, FHN is providing a $1,000 diversity scholarship opportunity to students pursuing specified healthcare careers.
Deadline for applications is Friday, Sept. 3, 2021.
Applications will be accepted from any minority student2 residing in FHN's service area3 currently enrolled in an accredited program4 of study involving the following healthcare careers:
Behavioral Health Fields (Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Social Work)
Cardiac, Diagnostic or Vascular Ultrasound
Certified Medical Assisting
CT Technology
Health Information Management (HIM)
Information Technology (with a focus on healthcare)
Medical Technology / CLS / MLS
Nursing (BSN)
Rehabilitation Services (PT, OT, PTA, COTA, SP)
Pharmacy
Benefit-eligible staff of FHN may not apply
To apply:
Complete the application form
Provide evidence of a current GPA of 3.0 or better
Participate in an interview, if selected as a finalist
Submit a typed, approximately 500-word essay responding to the following question:
Why did you choose your career path, what have you done to support it, and how would it benefit FHN's service area?
All entries will become the property of FHN and will not be returned.
Funds will be disbursed to the winning students' college or university to be applied toward expenses for the Spring 2022 term.
Dates to Remember:
Deadline for applications submission – Friday, September 3, 2021
Finalist interviews conducted October thru November 2021
Winners announced and funds disbursed in December 2021
For more information, call FHN Human Resources at 815-599-6336.
- At all times, FHN reserves the right to determine whether the one (1) scholarship opportunity is to be awarded based upon its review of the applications received. FHN also reserves the right to determine qualifications/eligibility. A minority student selected to receive the scholarship shall be responsible for all tax consequences arising from the scholarship.
- A "minority student" is an individual who is either African American/Black (a person having origins in any of the black racial groups in Africa); Hispanic American (a person of Spanish or Portuguese culture with origins in Mexico, South or Central America, or the Caribbean Islands, regardless of race); Asian American (a person with origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Pacific Islands (including, among others, Hawaii, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia); or Native American (a person who is a member of a federally or state recognized Indian tribe, or whose parents or grandparents have such membership, including native people of Alaska).
- For purposes of this program, the "service area" includes Stephenson, JoDaviess, Carroll, Ogle and Winnebago counties in Illinois.
- In order to be eligible, the minority student must be currently enrolled in an accredited program of study involving the noted healthcare careers and/or have otherwise declared their major in such a career and are taking courses in furtherance of that major.
