A new scholarship fund benefitting the needs of Associate Degree Nursing, or Registered Nursing, program students has been announced by the Central Georgia Technical College Foundation and will become available for the Summer 2017 semester.

The Marsha D. Longbine Future Nurses Scholarship Fund will finance scholarships for deserving RN students in order to fulfill their dream of becoming a nurse and caring for others.

The fund’s origin is the work of recently retired nurse, Marsha Longbine, whose career spans 44 years, 37 of which were spent serving at Houston Medical Center in Warner Robins.

Longbine spent the majority of her career in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nursery of the Medical Center, where she made rounds assessing newborns, feeding them, maintaining vitals and being the sole required nurse in the delivery room devoted to the infants care.

Devotion accurately sums up a healthcare career that Longbine admits could not easily have been sustained without first a passion for helping people and second, a commitment to education. The passion Longbine has for nursing stems from her own life. Doctors gave her little chance to live as she was born premature and spent the first six weeks of her life in the very capable hands of professionals she would eventually aspire to become.

Longbine, whose family is filled with healthcare professionals, said in addition to her diploma education, her career was training within itself.  She worked alongside doctors, technicians and nurses whom she called gifted, and ones who helped show her the requirements of the job.

Throughout her time in nursing she had the opportunity to be involved in the development of a “preceptor” program which created opportunities for experienced nurses to take new-hires under their wing and teach them the ins and outs of the job.

“In other words, I would say my career had a lot to do with education. I was like a teacher in many ways,” Longbine said of her role as mentor to up-and-coming nurses.

She said looking back on her own education and work with externs, she noted there are educational areas students need to stay focused on. Of the courses, lessons and situations that nursing students are put through in their curriculum, Longbine said that Growth and Development, and Physiology curricula are crucial to developing their assessment skills.

To current and future RN program students specifically, and in particular, the ones who will apply to the scholarship Longbine had this to say:

“I set up the fund so that it helps relieve some of the financial burdens that they have so that they can totally focus on what they are learning and not be so worried about having to a pay for it,” she said. “It’s a small scholarship, but every little bit helps.”

Longbine and her husband, Mike, expressed interest to the Foundation in forming the scholarship earlier last month citing that being a student, and graduating debt-free was a critical foundation of the healthcare career she received. She admits being debt-free is not a luxury every student can have, but is pleased to offer any bit of support in their pursuit of it. She heard news of the new RN program at CGTC and was motivated to help at the College.

Seed money for the scholarship came from her colleagues. Prior to a retirement party celebrating her career, Longbine sent out letters urging colleagues to contribute to the scholarship in place of a retirement gift. The Longbine family matched the seed donations and has decided to donate $2,500 annually toward the fund.

“The CGTC Foundation is thrilled to support Mrs. Longbine’s desire to assist CGTC’s nursing students achieve their goals,” said Tonya L. McClure, assistant vice president of institutional advancement at CGTC. “The funds provided by the many generous donors in honor of Mrs. Longbine’s long career as a nurse will help arm our students with the tools necessary to not only become successful registered nurses, but will also allow them the opportunity to honor the legacy of a dedicated nursing professional.”

Funds will be housed and managed through the Foundation, distributed each semester to deserving students for purchasing textbooks, clinical supplies and offsetting certification test fees. Initially three scholarships will come available for summer semester 2017 in the amount of $250.

Criteria for any applicant are as follows:

-          Students must be admitted to the RN program

-          Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA

-          Students must have financial need

-          Students must reside in Houston County

The deadline for summer scholarships offered through the Foundation is February 24, 2017.

The RN program maintains a competitive admission process that requires students to successfully complete preliminary general and health core classes and an admissions test in order to apply for a seat.

Inquiries about the RN program should be made to Jessica Willcox, registered nursing director at CGTC, at 478-218-3722 or via email at [email protected]

Contributions to the scholarship fund can be made with checks payable to the CGTC Foundation and mailed to 3300 Macon Tech Dr. Macon, Ga 31206, or online at www.centralgatech.edu/foundation/giving.html.