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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Partnership Announced to Meet Area Demand for Nurses

(WORCESTER – January 25, 2005) Worcester State College (WSC) President Janelle C. Ashley and Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital CEO Peter M. Mantegazza announced a collaborative partnership to meet the increasing area demand for graduating nurses with bachelor’s degrees. Helen Rogers, professor and chair of WSC’s Nursing Department and Mary T. Aleksiewicz, Fairlawn’s director of Nursing, also provided information on the specific advantages to the partnership.

In response to the shortage of nurses, Fairlawn awarded a $50,000 grant to the Worcester State Foundation to provide scholarships for nursing students who commit to at least one year of service to Fairlawn upon graduation from WSC.

“In 1987 Fairlawn met a community need by establishing itself as the first in-patient physical rehabilitation hospital in central Massachusetts. Today we face another community challenge, specifically the need for well-educated and committed nurses,” said Aleksiewicz.

Fairlawn’s CEO Mantegazza said, “This is all about caring for people. This partnership is another giant step in meeting our mutual goal to serve the people of central Massachusetts.”

 “Nearly 80 percent of our graduating seniors remain in the Commonwealth, to live, work and contribute to the community. I know that through this collaborative partnership, our nursing students will benefit, Fairlawn will benefit, and the community at large will be much better served,” said WSC President Ashley.

“All of our students who have worked at Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital in the past have had an excellent learning experience. We welcome this partnership and look forward to awarding the first scholarship,” said Rogers, stating that there were a number of student nurses interested in applying for it.

The elements of this partnership include:

1. The establishment of a Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital scholarship fund at the Worcester State College Foundation. This will provide the opportunity to award up to five $3,000 scholarships annually to students willing to commit to at least one year of service at Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital. The Fairlawn Rehabilitation Scholarship Award will be offered to student nurses during any academic year. Preference will be given to student nurses who have completed or are committed to performing their preceptorship at Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital.

2. The creation of The Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital Clinical Excellence Award that will provide a $250 award annually to a graduating student nurse for clinical excellence.

Worcester State College’s Nursing Program, established in 1974, is the first Bachelor of Science program for registered nurses in New England and the first to be accredited by the National League of Nursing.

Fairlawn itself is a partnership of two outstanding healthcare organizations — UMass Memorial Health Care and HEALTHSOUTH Corporation, the nation's largest provider of physical rehabilitation services. Through this unique collaboration, their patients and their families receive the expert rehabilitative care they need to resume productive, fulfilling lives.

Selection of candidates will be made at the discretion of the Worcester State College Department of Nursing. 

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