Lebanon Foundation Awards Record $60K in Health Scholarships

Fifteen aspiring healthcare workers in Lebanon, Oregon just got the green light to chase their dreams without financial worry. The Lebanon Community Hospital Foundation awarded a record-breaking $60,000 in scholarships this year to local students entering fields from nursing to medical school.

"There is a remarkable amount of talent and passion for healthcare among the applicants," said Brandy O'Bannon, regional foundation director for Linn County. The selection process brought together donors and volunteers who helped identify the most promising future caregivers in their community.

The scholarships span multiple programs, each with its own mission. The Frank Girod Medical Scholarship honored the late founding hospital member by awarding $20,000 to two medical students at Western University. Since 1998, this single scholarship fund has now distributed $367,000 to East Linn County students pursuing medical degrees.

Four more students received support through the Julietta A. Pape Scholarship, created in 2021 to honor a lifetime educator's legacy. The fund aims to help new medical students make the same kind of lasting contributions Pape made to education.

Emma Estes, Kylie Godinho, Melanie Hazel, and Sara Joyce each received funding through the John and Carol Dinges Medical Scholarship. The program specifically targets graduates from East Linn County high schools enrolled at Linn-Benton Community College, with generous support from InterCommunity Health Network and the hospital foundation.

Five nursing students received awards through the Nursing Education Scholarship, launched in 2020 for caregivers and certified nursing assistants continuing their education. Recipients included students from Linn-Benton Community College and one from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

The Ripple Effect

These scholarships do more than ease financial burden. They're filling a critical pipeline into healthcare at a time when communities desperately need qualified medical professionals. Every scholarship recipient represents future care for someone's parent, child, or neighbor.

The program also strengthens community bonds, bringing together donors, volunteers, and students around a shared mission. When local families invest in their future caregivers, everyone wins.

Fifteen students will start their programs this year knowing their community believes in them enough to invest thousands of dollars in their success.