This story was originally published in 2021.
The Centra Foundation is pleased to announce it has a received a $15,000 donation from the Watt Foster Family Foundation to establish a new fund that will provide scholarship support for Campbell County residents pursuing nursing education at Centra College.
Jennifer Bryant-Foster, vice president of real estate sales and management for Foster Fuels, Inc., and a trustee of the Watt Foster Family Foundation shares, “Our hope for this scholarship is that more students wanting to pursue a career path in nursing will now be able to make this choice.”
Centra College, located in Lynchburg, Virginia, is committed to providing excellent care to individuals, families and patients in the community through the development of professional nurses. Approximately 40 Campbell County residents are currently enrolled at the college.
As the largest segment of the healthcare workforce, locally trained nursing professionals fill a critical staffing need in our health system. 74% of Centra College’s May 2019 graduating Associate Degree in Nursing students went on to provide care in a Centra facility immediately following graduation.
According to Heather Gable, dean of Centra College, “The Watt Foster Family Foundation Scholarship will have a lasting effect on increasing the local conduit of nurses by supporting aspiring nurses from Campbell County. Donor support, such as that from the Watt Foster Family Foundation, is crucial to the scholarship recipients’ continued enrollment and academic progression toward graduation at Centra College.”
Established in 1921, Foster Fuels, Inc. is a third-generation, Foster family-owned and operated business headquartered in Brookneal and serving customers nationwide. Community service has always been close to the heart of the Foster family and the Watt Foster Family Foundation focuses on supporting children’s advocacy, education and support for the family.