For Allen, that's the culmination of a four-year investment in landing her dream job, made possible in part through a Kansas Board of Regents Scholarship and Ascension Via Christi's willingness to serve as her sponsor.
"Throughout the ups and downs of nursing school, it was a light at the end of the tunnel," says the 21-year-old Maize High School graduate. "I knew when I finished I'd have a job and be able to help patients and their families and that all the hard work would have been worth it in the end."
Through the scholarship program, Allen received $4,500 each year in nursing school grants, half funded by the Board of Regents, the other half paid for by the Ascension Via Christi. In return, Allen has committed to working full time for Ascension Via Christi for three years.
"I received other Kansas Board of Regents scholarships all four years, but I couldn't qualify for this one until I had been accepted into the Nursing program," says Allen, who will graduate from Emporia State on May 14, and plans to start work just as soon as she can take and pass her boards.
Julianna Rieschick, who served as vice president of Nursing for Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph at the time Allen was seeking a sponsor and now serves in the same role at St. Francis, says it's a great, but underutilized scholarship program as the onus is on the student to find a sponsoring healthcare provider.
"We're thrilled to have Tania launch her career with us and have set up a process to make it easier for nursing students to know where to start," says Rieschick, who now serves as the senior nursing leader at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis.
Students interested in pursuing a Board of Regents nursing scholarship sponsored by Ascension Via Christi should contact Tiffany Poyner, program coordinator for Academic Affiliations, at tiffany.poyner@ascension.org or 316-268-5526.
Looking to start your career at Ascension Via Christi? Visit jobs.ascension.org/ks to browse opportunities.