Nursing and family go hand-in-hand for Jana Verdin, a patient care technician in the ICU stepdown unit at Clovis Community Medical Center. Not only is she tackling her first semester of nursing school at Fresno State to become a registered nurse (RN), but her father is a surgical nurse at Clovis Community. 

Verdin hopes one day she can be the kind of nurse her father is. “The biggest inspiration for becoming a nurse is my father. He is a hardworking man, and he displays all the qualities of a nurse – he's empathetic, knowledgeable – just everything you can imagine.”  

Growing up with her father in nursing, Verdin has had a lot of time to think about what it means to become an RN. “When I imagine becoming a nurse, I imagine serving the community as he [my father] does. It makes me want to be the best person I can be, not only for myself but for the patients,” Verdin said. 
 

Nursing school costs are a roadblock for many 

Becoming the best nurse you can be starts with a robust nursing education, but the cost of attending nursing school can keep many from realizing their dreams. “As the oldest child of two, and now with my brother attending [nursing school], we receive little to no financial aid. My parents pay out of pocket for the both of us,” Verdin said. 

Verdin said that the topic of how to pay for nursing school is always a lively one. 
“You wouldn't believe how many of my peers and my nursing cohort talk about how expensive [nursing] school is, even if they do receive financial aid. The amount that we had to pay upfront on our first day of orientation was overwhelming, and no one could stop talking about it for weeks.” 

But the “Reach for the Stars” scholarship program, funded by an anonymous donor, is helping to fill that gap with a scholarship for Verdin and other Community employees who want to become RNs. 

"Reach for the Stars" is a full-ride nursing scholarship program available to all Community Health System employees. It covers tuition, materials and other school costs like supplies and parking.

Community team members don't have to work in a specific profession or department to apply, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements. The scholarship program’s anonymous philanthropist aims to positively impact the shortage of nurses in underserved areas like the San Joaquin Valley, and support the professional development of those who want to become RNs. 
 

Working to end the nursing shortage 

The Valley suffers from a severe shortage of nurses with many training here and then moving elsewhere in California. A study done before the pandemic projected a 35% rise in demand for nurses by 2030 and up to 10,000 more RNs to meet that need in the San Joaquin Valley. The pandemic worsened that shortage by increasing demand while long-time nurses also retired. 

“The nursing shortage is challenging, but the team at Community is working to lessen its impact here in the Valley through great donor-funded programs like "Reach for the Stars" and Community’s Nursing Education Pathway powered by Unitek College,” said Danny Davis R.N., Community’s chief clinical and operations officer. 

Community and Unitek’s educational partnership will help strengthen the California workforce and offer greater access to nursing programs. Future nurses who train in Community’s facilities and Community’s team members who participate in the program receive a specialized tuition rate for nursing programs at Unitek College. 

Community is the regional leader in providing clinical experiences through partnerships with 20 universities and colleges. Last year, Community trained more than 1,700 nursing students and invested $5.7 million in training student nurses in its hospitals for a total of more than 100,000 hours. Students come mainly from eight Valley colleges and universities for 8- to 18-week rotations and work anywhere from 5 to 12 hours a shift.  
 

Helping aspiring nurses "Reach for the Stars" 

Since the "Reach for the Stars" program began, three Community employees have graduated from nursing school and 21 have received scholarships from the program. Scholarships like “Reach for the Stars” and others made possible by donors are essential in recruiting and retaining top nursing talent.  

Verdin heard about the scholarship when she first started working at Community about two years ago. “It was my dream to apply and become one of the recipients of this amazing opportunity.” 

She applied, writing her personal statement, sending in her letters of recommendation and going through the interview process. Then one night she got the news she’d been waiting for — acceptance into the "Reach for the Stars" program. 

“I was ecstatic. I screamed in my car as I read the email, and my first thought was, ‘I'm so blessed to just even think about getting an opportunity like this,’” said Verdin. “To become a recipient was unimaginable, and I can't explain enough how grateful I am to everyone involved.” 

“As our healthcare system continues to expand to meet the growing needs of our region, we’ll need many more nurses in the years ahead,” Davis said. 
 

Educating nurses and growing careers 

Scholarships are just one of the ways Community cares for employees and encourages them to continue growing their careers. The health system also provides tuition and professional certification reimbursements, free online professional development classes, and job shadowing opportunities for employees who want to learn about other roles. 

Verdin encourages any Community employee looking to become an RN to apply for the "Reach for the Stars" scholarship program. “Not only have my financial stresses been lifted, the financial burden that was on my parents has been lifted as well. I'm allowed to focus solely on my school studies,” said Verdin.  

“Just go for it. It helped me achieve my dreams to serve the community and to personally reciprocate the support my family has given me. My goals have only just begun.”