Nursing Graduate Receives Special Memorial Scholarship

A day or so before the college’s commencement ceremony, LSC-O’s nurses celebrate their completion of the program with a special pinning ceremony, which dates back to the 1880s.  The pinning is a formal way to recognize the completion of the nursing program; the nurse pin signifies integrity and the tradition of the badges worn by the healers and crusaders of care.

Rhonda Hamilton, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, received a special scholarship during the spring ceremony.  She was the winner of the Linda Kennedy Memorial Scholarship.  This scholarship is donated by Mike Kennedy and his daughter Kathleen Kennedy-Lambert in memory of his wife her mother.  Mr. Kennedy and his daughter each donate $500 each semester for the scholarship.  The award goes to a LVN (licensed vocational nurse) – male or female from Texas or Louisiana – who has some LVN experience and decided to pursue a registered nurse degree. More specifically, the award targets students who decide to finish their degree after taking a break from school. 

Here’s Rhonda’s story:

I was raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  I have been married to my husband, Steven, for the past eight years.  I have two children, both boys, Zack who is 13 and Bryce who is seven.  My family has been very supportive and happily made needed sacrifices for me to return to school. I currently work as an LPN in Louisiana for Premier Healthcare, a staffing agency.  I chose LSC-O to finish my education mainly due to word-of-mouth.  I have heard many good things about the Upward Mobility Program from previous students and from other healthcare workers.  I just graduated on May 21 and I am very happy with my decision to attend LSC-O.  In comparing LSC-O to the college here in Lake Charles, most of the classes were smaller, the instructors were in there office at posted hours, they always returned emails.  Not to mention, even though I drove from Sulphur, the overall expense was significantly less than my local college.   At the beginning of the semester, a scholarship was offered to an upward mobility student that was from either Louisiana or Texas; the student also had to have worked as an LPN or LVN for the past five years.  I was very excited about the news of being the recipient of the Linda Kennedy scholarship.  Receiving the scholarship money has really helped out with tuition and other expense that have occurred.

LSC-O has some phenomenal nursing programs for students of all ages and backgrounds.  For more information on the Allied Health division, please call (409)882-3044 or visit www.lsco.edu/Academics/AlliedHealth/AlliedHealth_main.htm.