Testimonials

2009 Featured Scholarship Recipients

After being awarded a General Studies Scholarship by OHCF during the 2008 winter and 2009 summer cycles, Chiamaka Aniefuna is closer to achieving her education and career goals in long term care.  Chiamaka is earning her Master's degree in social work with an emphasis on gerontology at Portland State University and plans to graduate in 2010.  She is currently the Director of Sales and Marketing at Clare Bridge of Beaverton, a Brookdale Senior Living property, and hopes to one day become an Administrator.
 
Chiamaka's long term care career began in June 2007 when she started working as a Resident Assistant for Wynwood of Mt. Hood.  Thanks to her strong passion for caring for the elderly, along with her more than adequate educational background, she quickly moved into a Medication Assistant position and then onto becoming the Business Office Director.  Chiamaka feels she has gained a valuable perspective and appreciation of the field by starting at entry level and working her way up. 
 
Chiamaka believes caring for the elderly is her calling and credits her supportive family and life in Nigeria, where seniors are highly revered, with giving her the ability to make those she cares for feel peaceful and at ease.  She most enjoys listening to her residents' life stories and truly values what can be learned from them.
 
"I am so thankful to OHCF for the scholarship that is helping me acquire more knowledge so I may do my very best to enrich the lives of my residents in every way possible." - Chiamaka Aniefuna

Anna Potter is grateful for the OHCF Scholarship she received during the 2009 summer cycle, which she is using to help pay for books and tuition as she pursues her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy at Pacific University.

Anna developed compassion for the elderly at a very young age when she used to accompany her mother, a nurse, to the skilled nursing facility where she worked.  Anna did not realize at the time how much of a positive impact she was having on the residents' lives just by stopping by to say hello.  These experiences, along with caring for her own grandparents, inspired her to follow her dream of providing exceptional care for a population she feels deserves the utmost respect.
 

During her undergraduate studies Anna majored in Spanish and Health and spent one year studying at the University of Guanajuato in Mexico.  Upon graduation she worked in a Hispanic clinic as a bilingual health promoter.  Before graduating from her Master's program she plans to travel to Nicaragua to use her Spanish and Occupational Therapy skills to benefit elders in need, as well as to increase her abilities to interact with different cultures.  Anna is committed to serving the geriatric population and appreciates her scholarship. 
 

"Thank you to the donors of OHCF for investing in my educational pursuit, and ultimately my professional development as a future occupational therapist.  My contribution to you will be manifested in my work as an occupational therapist and the impact that I will have on the lives of elderly individuals."  - Anna Potter

Margaret Murphy Carley Scholarship Recipient

 
Heather Sowa has been working for Oregon City Health Care Center, a Prestige Care property, for the past six years in the positions of caregiver, activity director, restorative aide and currently as a medication aide.  With the help of the Margaret Murphy Carley Scholarship she recently received, Heather will be able to pursue her career goals while maintaining an important balance between work, school, and family responsibilities.  She is studying to become an LPN this summer and will continue her nursing education through Chemeketa Community College to obtain her RN certificate by summer 2010. 
 
Heather, who has lived on several different continents around the world and has a passion for traveling, enjoys learning about the history and background of each resident she cares for.  She treats her residents as she would her own family members and truly values the lessons that can be learned from their life experiences. 
 
Heather's long term goals include earning a Bachelor's degree in gerontology and possibly continuing her studies to earn her Master's.  She is very interested in the study of degenerative neurological diseases and spends her free time reading true accounts by caregivers of Alzheimer/Dementia patients.  By seeking further education and advancing her career in the field, Heather believes she will be able to become more of an advocate for the people she cares for.
 
"I love working in long term care, I love nursing school, and I am so grateful to the donors of the Margaret Murphy Carley Scholarship fund for this award and for their support of the nursing field."  - Heather A. Sowa 

2008 Featured Scholarship Recipients

Pinnacle Quality Insights Scholarship Recipient

Thanks to Pinnacle Consulting and OHCF, Joyce Phipps is closer to achieving her education and career goals with the Scholarship she was awarded during the '08 Winter Cycle.  The Pinnacle Consulting Scholarship is awarded to those currently working in long term care with a desire to gain additional education to advance their long term care career.  Candidates must have demonstrated a commitment to quality in their work and have made a positive difference in the quality of life of the seniors they serve.
 
Joyce Phipps, Life Enrichment Coordinator for the last three years with Willamette View Health Center, a Willamette View Inc. property, is currently enrolled at Portland Community College pursuing her Associates Degree in Gerontology with a focus on recreational therapy.  Upon completion of her current program, Joyce plans to pursue her Bachelor's Degree at Portland State University with the ultimate goal of becoming a Certified Recreational Therapeutic Specialist. 
 
As a seasoned long term care professional with six years previous experience in the field before joining the team at Willamette View, Joyce envisions herself working with the senior population until the end of her career.  Joyce believes that furthering her education will allow her to deliver an even higher quality life enrichment and therapeutic recreation program to address the wide range of needs of the residents she cares for.
 
"I have a great passion for working with the elderly and enjoy helping create a sense of purpose in their daily lives.  Thank you Pinnacle Consulting and Oregon Health Care Foundation for your generosity that is helping me achieve my goals." - Joyce Phipps

 Pinnacle Quality Insights Scholarship Recipient

 As a recipient of the Pinnacle Consulting Scholarship for Quality Care, awarded during December 2008, Jillien Smith is thankful for the assistance in completing her Bachelor's degree and becoming a Certified Activity Consultant.  The Pinnacle Consulting Scholarship is awarded to those currently working in long term care with a desire to gain additional education to advance their long term care career.  Candidates must have demonstrated a commitment to quality in their work and have made a positive difference in the quality of life of the seniors they serve.
 
Jillien is passionate about her work as Life Enrichment Coordinator and Mentor at Clare Bridge of Salem, a memory care RCF and Brookdale Senior Living property.  During her eleven years spent caring for seniors in long term care and those in memory care specifically, Jillien has strived to free her residents from the constraints of dementia by coordinating creative services to meet their individual needs and acting as their advocate.
 
In her current role Jillien has taken her community's life enrichment program to a new level by introducing animals as a method of therapy, transforming her community's courtyard and surrounding woods into a place of recreation, and organizing and implementing an annual camping trip for residents of all ten Oregon Brookdale properties.  She also acts as mentor and trainer for Life Enrichment Coordinators of her community's sister properties.  
 
Jillien feels that completing her Bachelor's degree and obtaining her Activity Consultant Certification through the National Certification Council of Activity Directors, will allow her to provide a higher level of service to the seniors she cares for. 
 
"Thank you to Pinnacle Consulting for your assistance in allowing me to continue my service to the elderly while furthering my education to provide a higher level of excellence in this work."     - Jillien Smith

 General Studies Scholarship Recipient

Bryan Goodin is currently enrolled in the Master of of health Program at PSU, specializing in Health Policy and Non-Profit Management.  After graduation, he plans to pursue a PhD in Medical Sociology.  Bryan works part-time for the Oregon Public Health Division in the field of adult immunizations where he runs a non-profit statewide coalition.

Thanks to the OHCF Winter Scholarship, Bryan recently completed an Advanced Grantwriting course offered as part of the Non-Profit Management Certificate.  He has already put his new skills to use in several grant applications to support his favorite public health cause.

Bryan's research interests include health disparities and addressing system barriers to preventive health in underserved families.  Bryan began his career in health services as an Emergency Medical Technician in New Mexico and has lived in Portland for nine years.  During his time in graduate school, Bryan has also been recognized with the PABA Diversity Scholarship, the PSU Bookstore Scholarship, the Pride of the Rose Scholarship, and the Kaiser NW Leadership Scholarship.