Two students who want to be nurses have received University Hospital Minority Scholarships to pursue their chosen profession: Traci Irving of Pleasant Ridge and Amber Nixon of Westwood, both 18.

Irving was awarded a $40,000 scholarship over four years, funded by the hospital.

A graduate in the 91st percentile of her class at Shroder Paideia Academy, Irving was a captain of her cheerleading squad, a member of the school choir, an active member of the Community Service and Spanish Clubs.

She held a part-time job and donated time weekly to the United Way, volunteered at Good Samaritan Hospital, and participated in the 30-hour “famine,” called Shanty Town, and also volunteered with Upward Bound.

She plans to become a neonatal nurse.

“You must sometimes make sacrifices in order to reach your goal,” Irving said.

Nixon received a $10,000 scholarship over four years funded by University Hospital and the UC College of Nursing.

Nixon is an honor graduate of Dater High School, where she was active in Psi Eta Sigma Sorority and the school step team. She worked in a toy drive for Hurricane Katrina victims and volunteered for Tender Mercies, an Over-the-Rhine shelter for women and children.

Nixon, who plans to become a pediatric nurse, said she wanted to be a nurse because she has a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of children.

“Being a nurse is not a job, it is a privilege and honor,” Nixon said. “It is important for me to be the change I want to see in the world.”

BOND HILL TEEN NAMED SCHOLAR

Seven Hills High School 2006 graduate Debra Dixon, 18, of Bond Hill, is one of 18 seniors nationally to be named Robertson Scholars at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

The scholars receive full tuition, room and board, a stipend, mentoring, special courses, and summer enrichment opportunities in the U.S. and abroad, support for research and related travel, and laptop computers.

They are chosen based on their superior academic achievement and intellectual curiosity, strong leadership potential, active commitment to helping others and to community service, and courage.

“This is big for me,” said Dixon, who is working as an apprentice at Procter & Gamble this summer.

She maintained a 3.8 grade-point average while serving as co-captain of the gymnastic and dance teams, was a counselor in leadership development, a program run by the American Red Cross; and co-president of the African American Awareness Club. She is the daughter of Weldon and Deloris Dixon of Bond Hill.

The Robertson Scholars Program is a joint merit scholarship program at UNC, Chapel Hill and Duke University.

Dixon is among 34 top high school seniors from 32 high schools in 15 states, Zimbabwe and New Zealand who have been selected as the Robertson Scholars Class of 2010. Eighteen will enroll at UNC and 16 at Duke. All of the students take courses at both schools and spend a full semester in residence at the other campus.

VETERANS PROGRAM GETS GRANT

The programs that Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries provide for homeless veterans in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky received a $597,163 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training programs.

Goodwill’s Greater Cincinnati Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program received $299,440 and the Northern Kentucky Homeless Veterans Reintegration program received $297,723.

The programs assist homeless veterans with short-term housing, food, and vocational training and job placement.

AWARD PRESENTED POSTHUMOUSLY

Sheila Mary Braun Reynolds, a volunteer and certified oncology nurse and radiation therapy educator at Cincinnati’s Good Samaritan Hospital, was awarded the Humanities Award posthumously.

She died last year.

Reynolds developed a healing music program and was founder of the children’s liturgy program at Cincinnati’s Guardian Angels Parish.

The award is presented annually to a Saint Mary’s College alumna.

Source: news.enquirer.com

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