Harris received her associates degree as a certified nursing assistant at Lincoln Land Community College in 2022. She did her clinical rotation with Taylorville Memorial Hospital and now works as a nurse tech in the Acute Care department at the not-for-profit hospital.
Harris says the scholarship helped her pursue the education she needed for the first step in her health care journey.
“The McCarty scholarship benefits the recipient by helping fund a foundational nursing class at a local college, which allows the student to concentrate fully on the clinical program without worrying about cost of the class,” said Eli Heicher, chief nursing officer with Taylorville Memorial Hospital. “The McCarty scholarship also benefits the hospital because it allows us to create relationships with students we may not otherwise have met. We become involved in their future, and we have hired several recipients. We enjoy longer-term relationships with students because of the scholarship being available.”
Katie McCarty’s mother, Pam, established the Katie McCarty Nursing Excellence Fund through the Taylorville Memorial Foundation in memory of her 19-year-old daughter. Katie McCarty was a nursing school student when she was killed in a car accident in 2008.
The Katie McCarty Nursing Excellence Fund helps nurses further their education and attain professional certification.
“Katie’s story has touched so many people in Taylorville,” said Kim Bourne, president and CEO of Taylorville Memorial Hospital. “Thanks to Katie’s mother’s generous gift, Katie’s legacy continues.”
For more information about educational grants and scholarships available through the Taylorville Memorial Foundation, visit memorial.health/tmf.
Organized in 1995, the Taylorville Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports Taylorville
Memorial Hospital’s mission to improve lives and build stronger communities through better health.