Investing in the future of Monterey County Healthcare: Montage Health Foundation establishes endowment for single parents pursuing a nursing degree
In the spirit of Montage Health’s commitment to making a positive impact on the health and lives of the people in Monterey County, single parents pursuing a nursing degree will soon be eligible to apply for grants from Montage Health Foundation's Ralph Knox Scholarship Endowment Fund which was established with a $1 million gift to Montage Health Foundation from the Ralph Knox Foundation.
The fund will assist with tuition, academic supplies, rent, utilities, household expenses, and other expenses incurred by full-time nursing students at Monterey Peninsula College’s Maurine Church Coburn School of Nursing (MCCSN). Eligible students can apply for grants from the fund starting in 2024 by reaching out to Lynn Kragelund, Director of MCCSN, at lkragelund@mpc.edu.
“Any time you have a person who gives back as much as nurses do, it feels so good to be able to help them continue growing and making a difference in their own lives and the lives of others,” said Bill Patterson, who sat on the Knox Foundation board and initiated the gift to Montage Health Foundation. “We’re helping people who always do everything they can to grow their life and give back to their community.”
Patterson is one of three boys, all raised by a single mother on welfare. His mom went back to school at age 55 to become a nurse, planting a seed in Patterson that would grow into his passion for helping single parents pursue an education.
“Bill Patterson and the Ralph Knox Foundation’s investment in our community will have a profound effect on our local nursing students,” said Michele Melicia Young, Montage Health Foundation Director. “Debt incurred from going to school can be debilitating, and even more so for single parents. If we can alleviate some of the financial burdens of higher education, I think that will have an incredible impact on Monterey County nursing students and ultimately the overall health of our local communities.”
