Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation names Alissa Cross scholarship recipient

[August 27, 2012]  The Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation has named Alissa Cross, an Atlanta resident, as the recipient of the foundation's 2012 Healthcare Career Scholarship. A 2012 graduate of Olympia High School, she is currently attending Heartland Community College with plans to complete her nursing degree at Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

Alissa is the daughter of Lynn and Calee Cross of Atlanta.

"I feel very blessed to have this opportunity," Cross told the ALHF board at their Aug. 21 meeting. "ALMH is a great place to work, and I want to serve the people of my community. I want to stay in Logan County and give back."

She has already made plans to volunteer time to Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital.

She was selected for the scholarship after a rigorous application process that included answering short essay questions, interviews, reference checks and job shadowing at ALMH.

"How many 18-year-olds can say that they have been through six interviews? It was a good experience for me, and I am so thankful for this opportunity," said Cross.

She has already completed her certified nursing assistant certification and has been hired to work per diem in acute care at ALMH while she attends Heartland Community College.

Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation has made a commitment to invest in the future workforce of Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital through its Healthcare Career Scholarship program. Recipients of the scholarship will now agree to work their first job out of college at ALMH in exchange for a $20,000 scholarship to be paid over the course of their education.

"We think supporting the studies of students who have made job commitments with ALMH reflects the mission of both the foundation and the hospital," said Eric Graue, chairman of the foundation. "This forward-thinking approach is a win-win-win situation for the hospital, the foundation and the students."

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital is a community-based critical-access hospital serving the people of Logan and eastern Mason County. The Abraham Lincoln Healthcare Foundation was formed in 1986 to support the mission of ALMH. Contributions to the scholarship fund are welcome at anytime. To learn more about this and other foundation programs, contact Marty Ahrends, executive director, at 217-605-5006, or visit www.almh.org.

[Text from file received from Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital]