University of Lynchburg issued the following announcement on Oct. 21
During a special Inauguration dinner on Oct. 2, President Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar and her husband, “First Gentleman” Dr. Bob Shetlar, announced a scholarship to honor Shetlar’s mother, who spent her life as a nurse and educator.
“Alison and I wanted to honor my mom by endowing a scholarship in her name specifically for nursing students at the University of Lynchburg,” Shetlar said. “My mom was a professor of nursing when she retired several years ago.”
The Sharon Shetlar Taylor Endowed Nursing Scholarship will ensure that generations of nursing students receive the support they need to complete their degrees and “make a difference in the world,” said Vice President for Advancement Dr. Mike Bonnette.
It’s especially needed right now, says Dr. Kathy Johnson ’86, who directs the University of Lynchburg’s nursing program.
“This scholarship will help our program fill the need for nurses throughout our region and nation,” Johnson said. “We have many health care challenges, and nursing is an area that can make one of the biggest differences.”
The scholarship’s honoree, Dr. Sharon Shetlar Taylor, is pleased to be making a difference for future nurses — and the health care field as a whole — even after retirement.
“I was honored, delighted, and surprised to learn that my children, President Alison and Dr. Bob, endowed the Sharon Shetlar Taylor Endowed Nursing Scholarship at Lynchburg,” Shetlar Taylor wrote in a note.
“Nursing’s contribution to the health care system has a long history. I am proud to be part of that history, both in the practice of clinical nursing and in nursing education.”
Shetlar Taylor says her own path took her halfway across the country for three nursing degrees. She earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing in Kansas, her master’s degree in Oklahoma, and her doctorate in California.
Family — and many others — were there to support her along the way.
“I understand the dedication it takes to acquire the education necessary to practice the art of nursing,” she wrote. “I hope this scholarship helps other women and men fulfill their aspirations and join the profession that has shaped my life.”
For more information about the scholarship, email advancement@lynchburg.edu.
To learn more about Lynchburg’s nursing program, visit our website.
Original source can be found here.
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