Foundation Awards AMV Associate Scholarships

(First row, left to right: Pabitra Kuikel, Rosa Gracias, Yiheyes TIruneh, Akwen Bayong, Alem Bogale, Anastasia Brogya, Chenika Johnson. Second row, left to right: Erika Reyes, Helen Chirchir, Irene Ngwa [not pictured: Edelberto Carache, Winrose Kagathi]. Executive Director Michele Potter is at the podium.)

“Thank you for making me who I am today,” is the way Asbury Foundation Healthcare Scholarship recipient Anastasia Brogya described the impact of receiving her first scholarship to continue her nursing education.

Anastasia is one of 12 Asbury Methodist Village associates sharing in $61,000 in scholarship awards from the Asbury Foundation, presented during an emotional ceremony on June 13. The audience included colleagues, family, and residents. This impressive group of associates represents 100 years of cumulative service to Asbury.

Anastasia, the assistant director of nursing at Wilson Health Care Center, is working towards a Doctor of Nursing degree. Along with going to school and working full time, she is also the mother of four children. Receiving a scholarship helps to remove the financial burden of paying for her education and allows her to focus on her studies.

“All I have to do is take care of my family and learn,” says Anastasia. “I want to know everything about nursing, so I can provide the best care.”

Providing associate scholarships, education and support is a key area of focus for the Asbury Foundation. In 2022, nearly $600,000 in donor gifts were designated to scholarships and education across the Asbury system.

Funded by donor gifts, scholarship recipients are chosen by a committee of residents at the communities in which they work. The Asbury Foundation is proud to collaborate with the resident donor family to create transformational opportunities for those who live and work at Asbury Communities.

Karen Thomas, resident, and member of the scholarship committee at Asbury Methodist Village, told awardees that the characteristic common to each of the scholarship applications was clear: “How much love you have for older people.”

She also applauded the associates’ supervisors for “joyfully” writing letters of recommendation and other supporting material.

The group included three returning awardees and nine first timers.

Five-time scholarship recipient Yiheyes Tiruneh, Nursing Supervisor at Wilson Health Care Center, has been caring for residents there for eight years. What motivates him? “The strong commitment of residents to help friends, neighbors and associates,” he says. “Working here feels like family.”

When Yiheyes received the notification call about his scholarship, he says with a smile, “there was so much joy, it sounded like the caller won the award.”

First-time scholarship awardee Akwem Bayong, a charge nurse at Wilson Health Care Center, says it’s the joy of serving residents that inspires her thirst for knowledge.

“As nurses, we try to find simple ways to make residents feel valued and respected,” says Akwem, who was moved to tears when she accepted her award. “This is what this scholarship is about. It’s not about having seven Ph.D.’s, it’s about being a nurse at heart and serving the residents.”

Congratulations to all the Asbury Foundation 2023 Healthcare Scholarship recipients! (See the full list below.)

“You are awesome,” says J.D. Shuman, Asbury Foundation President and CEO. “Thank you for all that you have done and for all that you will do for the Asbury family.”

2023 Asbury Foundation Healthcare Scholarship Awardees

• Akwen Bayong
• Alem Bogale
• Anastasia Brogya
• Edelberto Carache
• Hellen Chirchir
• Rosa Gracias
• Chenika Johnson
• Winrose Kagathi
• Pabitra Kuikel
• Irene Ngwa
• Erika Reyes
• Yiheyes Tiruneh