MCC Students Receive HRSA Grant Incentive/Assistance Awards

Five Madisonville Community College (MCC) students received financial awards of $2,000 each through the Incentive-Assistance Program provided by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) administered on behalf of the Coalfield Regional Healthcare Network. 

Pictured are:  (standing, l-r) Ashley Vincent Poore, Director of Education and Research at Baptist Health Madisonville; Tonia Gibson, MCC Radiography Program Director; Patricia Young, MCC Professor and HRSA Grant Project Manager; Carlos Sarmiento; Dr. Michael Howard, Vice President for Education and Research at Baptist Health Madisonville; Eric Whitsell; Donny Edwards; Stephanie Taylor, MCC Physical Therapist Assistant Program Director; Martha Phelps, MCC Financial Aid Director; (seated, l-r) Sherri Eli; Skyyler Suthard.

Donny Edwards, of Marion, is a displaced coal industry worker who is currently a student in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program.  He will graduate in December 2017.

Sherrie Eli, of Nortonville, is a veteran who is enrolled in the Radiography program and will be graduating in May 2018.

Carlos Sarmiento, of Madisonville, is also a displaced coal industry worker.  He is a student in the Radiography program and will complete in May 2018.

Skyyler Suthard, of Madisonville, is a veteran enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant program and will be graduating in May 2018.

Eric Whitsell, of Madisonville, is also a veteran and a student in the Radiography program.  He is on track for graduation in May 2018.

As veterans and/or displaced coal industry workers currently enrolled in high-demand, high-wage career training programs at MCC, these student were eligible to apply for assistance to offset an unmet financial need related to their educational program. 

Madisonville Community College and the Coalfield Regional Healthcare Network, through a federally funded initiative, are working to connect veterans and displaced coal industry workers with the training needed to become valued rural health care professionals with potentially stable careers. 

The Coalfield Regional Healthcare Network members are Baptist Health Madisonville, Caldwell Medical Center, Community Health Centers of Western Kentucky, Health First Community Health Centers, Hopkins County Health Department, Madisonville Community College, Pennyroyal Mental Health Center, and West AHEC.