| 48 scholarships given out at the Ninth Annual Dream Makers Luncheon |
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| Written by Monica S. Nagy, The Shorthorn staff | ||||
| Monday, 08 March 2010 08:42 PM | ||||
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Standing on a podium in the Bluebonnet Ballroom, Jennifer Weibel-McKee spoke to attendees at the Ninth Annual Dream Makers Luncheon about the sacrifices she and her family made for her to pursue a nursing degree. “I am proud to be representing my classmates, and grateful for every one of the donors here today who believes in the power of nursing and believes in UTA students,” the nursing senior said. Weibel-McKee said she quit her job making $50,000 to $60,000 a year to pursue a nursing degree. After naturally giving birth to her first child with the help of a certified nurse midwife, Weibel-McKee realized she was in the wrong field of English literature. With the support of her husband Jason, she went on to pursue her new dream of being a nurse. Weibel-McKee received a scholarship at last year’s luncheon and was invited by Nursing Dean Elizabeth Poster to speak Monday. The event was open to second semester nursing juniors and first semester seniors who received a letter informing them they had received a scholarship. Scholarship recipients were placed at tables with their donors. Forty-eight nursing students received scholarships this year, worth about $1,000. With sponsorships and donations totaling $76,000 this year, Poster expressed her gratitude toward the contributors. “Thank you for your continued support of the $1,000 annual Dream Maker Scholarships and support of endowed scholarships,” she said. “They have a significant impact on the lives of countless students.” The scholarships are awarded based on the student’s grade point average. Some recipients were surprised when the scholarship letters came in the mail. Nursing senior Kristen Butler said she was unaware that she would be receiving a scholarship. She said when she received a letter saying that she was getting a $1,000 scholarship through Methodist Dallas Medical Center, she was excited. She said the scholarship allows her to spend more time and effort focusing on studies instead of worrying about money. Nursing senior Julie Hatfield said she was also surprised when she got a letter stating she was receiving a $1,000 scholarship from Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. “The money will help lighten the load on my family. I have two kids,” she said. Mistress of ceremonies, Mary Ann Van Siclen said because the event has touched so many lives, she foresees it becoming much larger in the future. The luncheon was made up of 57 donors like Texas Health Resources, Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, Gaston Episcopal Hospital Foundation and Arlington Civic League. There were also 17 supporters in attendance, like HKS Inc. HKS Inc., an architectural firm in Dallas, designed the Smart Hospital. Tom Harvey, health care principal at HKS Inc., said the speeches at the luncheon this year were the best he’s heard. Weibel-McKee’s speech conveyed the excitement felt by the attendees of the luncheon. “Nurses can change the world, one small decision at a time,” she said. Views: 637 | E-mail
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