Helen R. Waldo graduated from the Methodist Medical Center School of Nursing in 1943. She was a Private Duty Nurse for many years and then worked in the Lacon Clinic from 1959 to 1977. Helen and her husband Leslie Waldo had three children. This scholarship was established in 2002 by her husband and her daughter Patsy as a Memorial Tribute to Helen and her nursing career.
James P. Jeschke Memorial Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
James Jeschke was a 1997 graduate of the Methodist School of Nursing. He obtained his RN license during the summer while working in the Heart Care Center at Methodist Medical Center of Illinois. He died unexpectedly in September of that year. Jim was a true "Renaissance Man". Jim served in the Civic Air Patrol as a commander. He graduated from the United Technical Institute in Milwaukee in 1966 and was the chief technician in the first successful heart transplant in the Midwest. He also was a paramedic for OSF St. Francis Medical Center and managed the Mobile Medic Ambulance for many years. He was an accountant for Ragan Communications. He also was a volunteer for 10 years for the West Peoria Fire and Rescue Squad, last serving as an Assistant Chief.
Neal F. Ragan, Jr., President of Ragan Communications established this scholarship to honor the memory of James Jeschke. Jim worked for Mr. Ragan for several years prior to and during his nursing education program. Mr. Ragan greatly admired Jim, his determination and his compassion for others.
Janet McLaughlin/Emiko Yang Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
Janet R. McLaughlin graduated from the Methodist Medical Center School of Nursing in 1956. She spent several years as a nurse educator, in addition to serving as the Director of Methodist School of Nursing from 1984-1996. She currently resides in Morton, Illinois.
Janet received her R.N. from the University of Illinois and was inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society in April 1957. While serving at the Methodist School of Nursing, she completed two Master's degrees in Nursing and Education at Bradley University and Lewis University.
In 1989 Janet was awarded Business Associate of the Year by the Tower Park Chapter of the American Business Women's Association. In 1990 Janet received an invitation to have lunch at the White House with Mrs. Barbara Bush in Recognition of National Nurses' Day on May 7, 1990. She received this invitation as a result of her position as President of the Illinois Council of Hospital-Based Schools of Professional Nursing. Both President Bush and Mrs. Bush spoke in honor of the nurses present and the nursing profession.
Before her retirement from Methodist Medical Center School of Nursing in 1996, Janet was instrumental in taking the first steps toward the school becoming a College of Nursing. She laid solid groundwork for the future development of the College.
Emiko was born in Hawaii, on the island of Maui. "We had a large family. My parents were beekeepers." After high school, she received her nurse training at Queens Hospital in Honolulu. She came to Peoria through a family contact at Bradley University. She raised three sons: Byron, Leonard and Lloyd. She became a surgical nurse at Methodist Hospital and went on to become the evening 2nd shift nursing director, a position she held for 32 years. Emiko volunteered with Unity Way for 20 years and with Wildlife Prairie Park and the Peoria Park District. "I must tell you what I did for fun," Emiko says. "I ran four marathons and took up scuba diving." Her goal was 100 dives, she only made it to 75. Emiko traveled extensively, including Costa Rica, South Africa, Kenya, Nepal, India, Ecuador, Spain, China, and Mexico. She also has a keen interest in medicinal remedies that natives use from trees and plants. Emiko shares a passion with her partner Maury Brucker for working with nature preserves and protected lands, so present and future generations can enjoy the prairies, plants and birds that occupy those areas.
A dear friend of Jan's established this scholarship. This scholarship will be available every year, beginning in the fall of 2002 (even years for Janet McLaughlin and odd years for Emiko Yang).
Maury is a longtime supporter of Methodist and Methodist College and is proud to honor the memory of his sister Jeanette, who had a passion for education, by assisting a nursing student with their future career.
Jeanine Spain Endowed Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
The Jeanine Spain Endowed Nursing Scholarship was established by Jeanine Spain in 2015. Jeanine is a graduate of the Methodist School of Nursing diamond jubilee class in 1975. Jeanine began her nursing career at Methodist Hospital as a bedside nurse on 4 Hamilton which was a 54-bed med-surg unit.
Jeanine's nursing career was predominately in critical care which was her passion and opened the door to many different roles. Opportunities to expand into different roles such as charge nurse, manager, director of nursing and other departments within the hospital to her current role as Chief Nursing Officer for Carle Health Peoria.
Methodist has been generous to Jeanine, assisting her to achieve her educational advancement from a BSN to a master's degree. These milestones were achieved because of the commitment Carle Health makes to their employees to assist them in achieving their goals.
Jeanine wants to assist by giving back to an individual who is pursuing their nursing dream. This individual must be entering their third year at Methodist College and meet the above criteria to be eligible for the Jeanine Spain Scholarship.
JoAnn Landis Semelroth Memorial Endowed Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
JoAnn Landis Semelroth was born in Kewanee, IL on June 4, 1927. After graduating from Kewanee High School in 1945, she began attending what was then Methodist Hospital Training School and graduated in 1948. She began her career as a Registered Nurse at Kewanee Hospital and then returned to Peoria in about 1950 to work at Methodist Hospital. JoAnn served as a Head Nurse on the Surgical Recovery Unit on 8 Glen Oak and also on a medical floor that was then called 5 West. JoAnn left Methodist for about 2 years in the mid-60's to serve as Head Nurse at Highview Nursing Home in Peoria. JoAnn returned to Methodist in 1967 as a Clinical Instructor at the Methodist School of Nursing. After 22 years of teaching over 1,085 students, she retired in 1989.
JoAnn practiced as a Registered Nurse for over 40 years, working for 37 of those years at Methodist. Throughout her career, she demonstrated an exceptional capacity for compassion and advocacy in caring for patients and teaching student nurses. JoAnn received several awards during her career at Methodist such as Employee of the Month, Nurse of the Year and Outstanding Alumnus of the Year. JoAnn's granddaughter, Jenna Darnell, is also a nurse and graduated from Methodist College with her BSN in 2011. JoAnn passed away at the age of 86 years on February 19, 2014. This scholarship has been established by her children, family members and friends as a Memorial Tribute to honor JoAnn's memory, her kind and giving spirit, and her Nursing career.
John Cation Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
The John Cation Nursing Scholarship was established in August of 2016 to provide financial assistance to a Methodist College Nursing Student
Joyce and Dr. Michael Cashman Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
The Joyce and Dr. Michael Cashman Nursing Scholarship was established in 2013 by Dr. Cashman. Dr. Cashman is a retired gastroenterology physician who has always dreamed about having the resources to make a big difference. Over the years he has learned that small acts of kindness can make a big difference in individual lives. Dr. Cashman and his wife Joyce have tried to keep true to that philosophy by supporting nursing and medical education. They were married before Michael attended medical school and had their first son during his sophomore year. The finance story did not change. Multiple jobs during school got them by with modest loans and scholarships making up the difference.
The Leonard Yang, M.D. Endowed Nursing Scholarship was established in 2021 to honor the work of Leonard Yang, M.D., son of Emiko Yang, a longtime Foundation supporter and retired UnityPoint Health Evening Nursing Supervisor. Emiko wished to honor her son through the support of scholarship funds for Methodist College students pursuing careers in the healthcare field, a field both Emiko and her son have devoted their lives to.
Leonard grew up in Peoria, IL and attended Illinois Central College, and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. He served as an attending physician at UnityPoint Health from 1993 - 2000 and was the medical director of the Emergency Department during that time. He then relocated to Winchester, VA where he worked for Winchester Emergency Physicians and was a staff physician at Winchester Medical Center until 2020. Leonard currently volunteers his time and expertise serving as Chair of the Board of Directors of Blue Ridge Hospice in VA. Leonard is also an avid long distance bike rider.
Marie Fortino Endowed Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
Marie Fortino received her nursing diploma from Mt. Carmel Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas in 1936. A small-town girl from southeastern Kansas, Marie knew in high school that she wanted to become a nurse. At Mt. Carmel, Marie and the other students lived on the top floor of the hospital. They rotated in service according to seniority and were assigned to night duty three months at a time. In due course, Marie passed her state boards and became a registered nurse. In Marie's own words, "Times were hard and jobs were scarce. I was fortunate to be hired in a small hospital in Belleville, Kansas 400 miles from home. My dream had become a reality." A year later, she moved to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, medical advances were taking place. The first successful lung transplant was performed while Marie was at Barnes, and penicillin was in early stages of use. After two years Marie relocated to Burge Hospital in Springfield, Missouri as a supervisor so that she could be closer to her family. In 1943 Marie married and as was customary at the time, resigned from nursing to care for her husband and home. In time, two daughters were born. She retained her interest in medicine and participated in the original trial of the Salk vaccine for polio. After her daughters were in high school, Marie completed refresher courses, renewed her nursing license and rejoined her chosen profession. "It was a shock," Marie told her daughters, "to learn the advancement and changes made in the twenty years I had not worked." She accepted a part-time position in a psychiatric ward and from there in 1964 became a school nurse in a disadvantaged area. She spent much of her time educating parents, teachers and children about the importance of health care and about how to take responsibility for their own health. In 1975, Marie heard about a college degree program called "University without Walls." She and her supervisor worked with Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas to establish a similar program for nurses in the Wichita area. In 1977, through this program, Marie earned her bachelor's degree in nursing. Marie Fortino died in 1997. She was the first generation in her family to earn a college degree. She became a nurse during the Depression, when there was no money, and it was almost unheard of for women to work outside the home. She worked in segregated, underprivileged communities before integration and equal treatment became law. She helped create an innovative way for Kansas nurses to earn college degrees without interrupting their careers. All her life Marie Fortino served others, maintained awareness of medical advances, and followed her dreams. This scholarship was established by her daughter to honor her actions, her memory and to provide other aspiring nurses the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
Marlene Mossberger Woodfill, PhD Endowed Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
Marlene Mossberger grew up in Streator, Illinois and was a 1952 graduate of the Methodist School of Nursing. She was a Staff Nurse, Head Nurse and Nursing Supervisor at various locations from 1952 - 1970. Dr. Mossberger returned to school in 1965 and earned the following degrees: Bachelor of Science in Education (Major: Health Education) in 1968, Master of Arts (Major: Health Education) in 1973 and Doctor of Philosophy (Major: Health Education, Minor: Curriculum) in 1986. Dr. Mossberger's PhD. Dissertation was a history of school nursing titled, The Role of the Nurse in the School Setting: An Historical View As Reflected in the Literature from 1902 Through 1982. The American School Health Association published a condensed version of this dissertation in 1991. A copy of this book can be found in the Methodist College Historical Collection. Dr. Mossberger married Charles Woodfill in 1956 and they raised one daughter. She retired from active nursing in 1992. Marlene passed away in 2015.
Mary Jane Dowling Endowed Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
Mary Jane (Young) Dowling was raised as an only child in Morrison, a small town in Northern Illinois. She graduated in the high school class of 1964 as Valedictorian and received a full ride scholarship to attend Illinois Wesleyan University from where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1968. In return for her scholarship, she was required to work as an RN at an Illinois Department of Mental Health facility for 3 years. She chose Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville (hospital closed in 1972) and she has many fond yet some scary memories of her time there.
After the birth of her first son in 1971, she came to Methodist Hospital to work in Obstetrical Nursing. Shortly thereafter, she transferred to the School of Nursing to teach psychiatric nursing (many exciting clinical areas) and eventually became the recruiter in 1987 after having finished her MSN in Community Health Nursing at Lewis University.
Mary Jane enjoyed 40 years at Methodist College of Nursing (now Methodist College) before she retired in 2012. She loved meeting new people and working with students. Her biggest accomplishment, besides raising two wonderful sons (Mike and Matt), is the legacy she feels when she encounters a former Methodist graduate who is doing well in the nursing field and may be her health care resource now.
Mary Jane lives in the Peoria area and loves to be involved in Methodist College activities and previously served as a volunteer at Unity Point Health-Methodist in Oncology. She is now traveling a lot and especially going to see her 5, so very special, grandchildren in Greenville, SC. She feels very blessed to have had so many wonderful mentors and years at Methodist School of Nursing and Methodist College of Nursing and continues to be excited about the future of nursing and nursing education at Methodist College.
Nursing Student Endowed Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
The Nursing Student Endowed Scholarship was established in 2016 by an anonymous donor.
PNC Endowed Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
The PNC Endowed Scholarship was established in 2015 by PNC in Peoria as a response to a request from the Foundation and in support of the Methodist College Expansion Campaign. Should the recipient maintain the qualifications listed above and reapply each semester; the PNC Scholarship will follow them through their entire BSN program. *maximum of 8 semesters.
R. Emma and Lester E. Ackerman Endowed Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
The R. Emma and Lester E. Ackerman Endowed Nursing Scholarship was established by the children of Rose and Lester to honor their memory. Their son, Owen Ackerman, has been an active member of the Methodist Health Services Board and the Methodist Medical Center Foundation Board. Their daughter, Carol Ackerman Reynolds (Mrs. Warren) has worked for Methodist as a member of the Service League since 1990.
RN-BSN Scholarship
Rosemarie Murdock Memorial Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
Rosemarie Ewing Murdock grew up in Central Illinois graduating from Bradford High School in 1951. She enrolled at the Methodist Medical Center School of Nursing and graduated in October 1954. She met her husband Charles while attending classes at Bradley University. They raised two daughters, Kristie and Kelli. Rosie was a Registered Nurse for 48 years and a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner for 27 years. She was a staff nurse with Dr. Dean Bordeaux from 1956 to 1976. For 23 years, she was a Clinical Instructor on the faculty of the Family Practice Residency Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and Methodist Medical Center. Rosie developed and coordinated community health care clinics at the downtown YWCA and B'Nai B'rith Senior Retirement Home. She worked as a nurse practitioner at the Methodist Women's Health Center. Rosie was greatly respected by her co-workers at Methodist. She was awarded the Methodist Medical Center "I Care" employee of the month award in 1979 and again in 2001. In 1996 she was awarded the Methodist School of Nursing "Outstanding Alumna of the Year" award. Rosie was also selected one of WEEK's "Central Illinois' 25 Women in Leadership" in 2001.
Rosemarie Murdock's faith and her dedication to nursing combined to give her a very special and unique ministry. She was always caring, available and showed unconditional acceptance to her patients. She volunteered for many organizations throughout her life and had a love for learning, gardening, art, crafts and adventure. Rosie lost her battle with cancer in April 2003. Her memorial contributions and contributions from her daughters and their families have made this scholarship possible.
In 2013 UnityPoint Health - Methodist honored the memory of Rosemarie Murdock by naming the newly established Advanced Practitioner of the Year Award after her. The Rosemarie Murdock Advanced Practitioner of the Year award is given out yearly at the UnityPoint Health - Methodist employee banquet.
Seifried Nursing Scholarship
About the Scholarship:
The Seifried Nursing Scholarship was established in 2019 to support the education and development of professional nurses. It was created by Methodist alumna Kristin Seifried (Chance), a native of Peoria, Illinois. Kristin attended Methodist College and graduated with a nursing degree and currently resides in North Carolina with her family. The scholarship is intended to be awarded to a student who demonstrates a strong passion for nursing, commitment to serving others, and a disciplined work ethic.