Catholic Charities New Hampshire today announced this year’s recipients of its Pathways scholarship program for licensed nursing assistants (LNAs) seeking their licensed practical nurse (LPN) degrees. The following seven Catholic Charities NH staff members will receive full-tuition scholarships to attend the full-time LPN degree program at Harmony Health Care Institute in Merrimack:

• Jean Desir (Mt. Carmel Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Manchester)
• Susan Rindoria (Mt. Carmel Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Manchester)
• Nicole Oakes (Mt. Carmel Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Manchester)
• Talyn Boardman (St. Ann Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Dover)
• Lenora Wajda (St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Laconia)
• Ashley McCann (Warde Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Windham)
• Summer Garrity (Warde Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Windham)

This is the second year of the LPN scholarship program, which is available to LNAs employed by Catholic Charities NH through an application process. In addition to full tuition, all eight staff will receive program textbooks and uniforms. Each will work 32 hours and be paid for 40 hours. The scholarships were made available in part through the generous donation of an anonymous donor. “These are incredible, hard-working professionals who have given so much to our residents, staff and communities, and for some, have sacrificed their own career goals to raise families, care for loved ones and manage everyday responsibilities,” said Darlene Underhill, director of clinical services for Catholic Charities NH. “Often, even the most ambitious individuals may lack the resources or practical means to pursue their career and personal goals. But thanks to the generosity of this donor and the support of Harmony Health Care, these eight amazing individuals are on the road forward to seeing their own dreams come true. This epitomizes the concept of ‘moving lives forward.’” “I’m so excited to be a recipient of the Catholic Charities NH LNA-to-LPN scholarship, said Boardman. “It shows me that Catholic Charities is invested in me as I am invested in them. I’m looking forward to learning more, advancing my knowledge, and over time, hopefully become a Registered Nurse.”

“My whole family is in the medical field and I’ve had a lot of great role models who inspired me to pursue a career in nursing,” said McCann. “I’m looking forward to learning new skills and applying them to the work I do now.” The LNA-to-LPN scholarship is part of Catholic Charities NH Pathways program, which offers many unique career development opportunities for individuals seeking to develop and advance a career in healthcare. Other opportunities include full financial assistance for entry-level candidates and unit aides pursuing a Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) Certificate program and select scholarship opportunities for LPNs seeking a Registered Nurse (RN) degree. The program is open to those employed by a Catholic Charities NH senior living community, which includes Mt. Carmel Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Manchester, St. Teresa Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Manchester, St. Joseph Residence in Manchester, St. Ann Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Dover, St. Vincent de Paul Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Berlin, St. Francis Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Laconia, and Warde Senior Living in Windham. Learn more about LPN Scholarship Program and Pathways here.