Tom Dowling
(863) 297-1051

Lakeland Regional Donates $100,000
To PCC Foundation For Scholarships

01/23/2007: Lakeland Regional Medical Center presented a $100,000 check to the Polk Community College Foundation during the Jan. 22 PCC District Board of Trustees meeting. The contribution is designated for scholarships for nursing students as part of an effort to increase the number of PCC nursing graduates.

            The monies will be matched dollar for dollar by the state through the Dr. Philip Benjamin Matching Program for Community Colleges. The gift will give some 20 students the opportunity to attain their nursing education at PCC.

“Lakeland Regional Medical Center’s continued partnership with Polk Community College will help ensure that we have an adequate supply of registered nurses to serve our patients as we face the challenges of a 20-year nursing shortage,” said Phyllis Watson, RN, PhD, Chief Nurse Executive Emeritus at LRMC. “We are also pleased that this scholarship opportunity will benefit our current employees, as part of our on-going commitment to their professional development and career paths.”

            “We greatly appreciate this donation from LRMC to the PCC Foundation,” said PCC President Eileen Holden. “These monies will allow students, many of whom are first generation in college, to get a quality education and begin a career in health care. This ultimately improves the quality of life for residents in Polk County. We appreciate our partnership with LRMC and thank them for their support,” Dr. Holden said.

            The PCC Foundation, Inc. is a tax-exempt corporation whose purpose is to provide PCC with resources for the advancement of the College, its students, faculty, staff and other constituencies in fulfillment of the College’s mission. The PCC Foundation annually administered some 600 scholarships to students with unmet financial need who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership qualities.