Nebraska Foundation Awards $348K in Healthcare Scholarships

Since 1989, the Good Samaritan Foundation has quietly invested nearly $350,000 in a simple idea: help local students become healthcare workers, and they'll return the favor by caring for their neighbors.

The numbers tell a story of steady commitment. Over three decades, the Foundation at CHI Health Good Samaritan has awarded $348,641 in scholarships to 492 students across Nebraska and Kansas. These future nurses, respiratory therapists, and paramedics are studying to fill critical roles in rural healthcare.

The strategy is working. Many scholarship recipients graduate and choose to stay in Kearney and surrounding communities, providing medical care where it's needed most. In rural America, where healthcare worker shortages can mean life or death, keeping homegrown talent makes all the difference.

The foundation is now accepting applications for its 2026 scholarship cycle. Students must be enrolled in accredited healthcare programs and live or study within Good Samaritan's 16-county service area spanning central Nebraska and northern Kansas. Pre-professional programs don't qualify, but current nursing students, paramedic trainees, and others in active healthcare education can apply.

The application process closes April 1. Recipients will learn their status in May 2026. Applicants need to submit transcripts, recommendation letters, proof of enrollment, a resume, and a statement explaining their professional goals.

The Ripple Effect

Every scholarship represents more than tuition help. It's an investment in community health that compounds over time. When a respiratory therapist stays in Kearney instead of moving to a city, she might spend 30 years treating patients who never would have had specialized care otherwise.

The foundation runs entirely on donations from community members who understand this equation. Their contributions fund not just individual education, but the long-term health security of 16 counties where finding qualified medical professionals can be challenging.

For students balancing work and school while training for demanding healthcare careers, these scholarships provide financial breathing room. For communities watching their young people leave for opportunities elsewhere, the program offers hope that some will return with valuable skills and choose to build their lives close to home.

Applications are available online at the CHI Health scholarship portal, where aspiring healthcare workers can take the first step toward serving the communities that supported their dreams.