Employee Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations!
Congratulations to all the recipients of our 2021 Employee Scholarships. The Employee Scholarship Fund was designed to help support employee education and training, and through this fund, we are able to grant funds to use toward tuition costs for these five individuals. Thank you to our wonderful donors for making this possible. By supporting our employees through continuing education opportunities, you in turn support the entire community.
These exemplary individuals embody all the traits we hire for here: they are kind, empathetic, intelligent, and caring. Each nominee wrote about how they want to give back to their community, look out for our residents, and love making a difference in someone’s life.
- Berenice Arteaga-Rodriguez, attending Grand Rapids Community College pursuing a certification in Practical Nursing
- Evan Clark attending Davenport University pursuing certification and an associate degree in Nursing
- Darrell Davis attending Davenport University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management
- Rachel Herweyer attending Calvin University pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Nursing
- Samantha Impens attending Grand Rapids Community College pursuing an associate degree in Health Exercise Science
Employees were selected based on their outstanding performance and dedication to their work here at Beacon Hill. Read on to learn more about these five dedicated individuals, what educational path they are pursuing, and what they hope to achieve.
Berenice is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), holds certifications in CPR, Bloodborne pathogens, AED, and is a First Aid Responder. She is on the Grand Rapids Community College Dean’s List, a member of the National Academy of Future Physicians, and National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Berenice chose nursing as her field of study to help people when they need it most, and to help make a difference. Working closely with Beacon Hill residents is very rewarding, and one of her most memorable experiences was when one of the residents and their family said, “People like you is what makes it worth being here.” We greatly admire her determination and commitment to growth, all while managing school, work, and a family including two young children!
Evan is a Lead Server in the Garden Café and is a certified medical assistant. A graduate of Grand Valley State University, and a Combat Medic in Fort Sam Houston, Evan knows what it takes to do well in the medical field. A “perfectionist” and an “empath”, Evan wants to help others, and says “patient care is a direct translation of caring for your neighbor.” As a server, Evan has a lot of direct interaction with residents and looks out for them. His manager, Maggie Thiel, says “Through Covid he has shown great care for the safety of our residents and fellow staff, working gracefully through challenges the changing situation has presented and an understanding of the differing needs of the residents.” We admire his attention to detail, his deep care and concern for others, and his desire to give back to the community in which he lives.
Darrell is a cook in the Garden Café, pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management at Davenport University. He’s naturally inclined toward sports; he coached high school football for 5 years and grew to love mentoring young men while being a positive influence in the community. Darrell approaches everything he does with heart. He recently cooked a shrimp po-boy which was a big hit with one of the residents. She told him that she has been looking forward to his special all week, and that it brought back memories of her childhood growing up in Alabama. Darrell works to create special bonds with all our residents. His manager Maggie Thiel says “Darrell has shown great flexibility working all shifts to help out our team during staffing shortages. He is kind and patient with residents and coworkers. He is conscientious about sharing concerns or observations in residents’ health.” That special attention to detail and making special experiences for our residents is what makes Darrell such an outstanding employee.
Rachel is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Her interest in this field all started when she heard work stories and experiences from her sister-in-law, who is also a nurse. She felt called to it, especially working with people, and building relationships with them. “It is such an honor and privilege to walk alongside people through their hardest days as well as to watch them increase in strength/improve in health.” Her manager, Pam Deacon, says “Rachel is an exceptional employee who learns one new nursing-related item or seeks to learn one new nursing-related educational piece daily. Her ability to remain flexible, calm, and patient-centered, regardless of the outside stressors that occur during a pandemic have been essential. When Rachel is on the schedule the residents look forward to seeing her because her positive attitude positively affects how the residents interact with each other.”
Samantha is a server at Beacon Hill while also attending Grand Rapids Community College earning an associate degree in Nursing, with a specialty in Health Exercise Science. Her colleagues in dining appreciate her ability to be flexible, working five days a week as well as picking up additional shifts. She’s a very hard worker, and it shows each day in her dedication to working at Beacon Hill. Samantha works hard to pay for her education, and her caring and helpful nature means that residents take to her immediately; they adore her positive, bright attitude.
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