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For years, college tuitions have been rising, making it difficult for many students to afford higher education.
According to the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, which advises the U.S. Secretary of Education and Congress on student financial-aid policy, cost factors prevent 48 percent of college-qualified high school graduates from attending a four-year college and 22 percent from attending any college at all.
But with help from the Salem Hospital Foundation, a number of students are finding college to be a bit more affordable.
From $500 in 1968 to $132,000 this year, the Salem Hospital Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships during the past 37 years.
“While the Foundation provides funding for many worthwhile programs and services, we’re especially proud of the scholarship program,” says Bud Pierce, M.D., Foundation board chair.
This year’s scholarships were awarded to 74 nursing students, 10 imaging students, five medical school students, and to people studying to be pharmacists, physical therapists, and medical technologists--a total of 108 students.
Several special scholarships were given in memory of people who were dedicated to the hospital, including John Alsever, M.D., physician scholarship; the Cass Bailey, M.D., physician scholarship; the Hattie Bratzel Kremen nursing scholarship; the Nita Jo Carter employee nursing scholarship; the Kathy deMarrais nursing scholarship; the Carl and Olive Emmons nursing scholarship; the Rollin Haag nursing scholarship; the Haap Jackson imaging scholarship, and the Harold and Elmera Richardson nursing scholarship.
The Salem Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization that supports medical and medically related projects. The Foundation’s 15 volunteer directors help raise funds and manage the resources of the Foundation.
Board members serving on the scholarship committee were Tim Abrahamson, Mike Garcia, Bill Hansen, and George Puentes. 
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Scholarship Grants top $1 million