Now
52
Tue
68
Wed
65
by Copeland Welch
TOPICS:
ABILENE, Texas — Abilene Christian University (ACU) is offering $80,000 in scholarships and grants to local high school students who complete the Hendrick Healthcare Academy and choose a health care-related major at ACU following graduation.
The initiative aims to encourage students from Abilene and the Big Country area to pursue studies in psychology, social work or various health professions, with the hope they will remain in the region for their college education and future careers.
"We want to expose students to health- and behavioral-sciences-related disciplines at ACU and encourage them to stay as a licensed provider in Abilene and improve the quality of life for people here," said Dr. Dirk Nelson, dean of the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at ACU. "There’s a need right here to help students and positively impact our community’s health, well-being, and productivity. This is one great manifestation of that."
The Hendrick Healthcare Academy, launched in 2023, provides high school students with insights into various career options within the health care field.
It is part of Hendrick Health's long-term strategy to partner with local and regional colleges and universities to strengthen its workforce in Abilene and Brownwood.
Applications for the academy are open from Jan. 1 through April 30.
"Hendrick Health is grateful for ACU’s partnership in the Hendrick Healthcare Academy," said Toni Brockway, director of workforce development at Hendrick Health. "We are able to offer these incredible hands-on experiences for our students because of the resources offered by institutions like ACU. This generous scholarship makes a significant impact for students in the Big Country pursuing futures in health care."
To be eligible for the scholarships, students must successfully complete the Hendrick Healthcare Academy program, apply and be accepted to ACU’s residential campus, and select a major within ACU's College of Health and Behavioral Sciences or the health professions track or biomedical science track within the Onstead College of Science and Engineering.
Eligible students will receive priority eligibility for ACU dual credit courses online, discounted tuition for dual credit courses and guaranteed $80,000 in scholarships and grants toward tuition for eight long semesters.
For more information, contact Sheila Jones in ACU’s College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at joness@acu.edu or Toni Brockway at Hendrick Health at tbrockway@hendrickhealth.org.

source