The Lead.
One Generous Gift Inspires a Community Outpouring of Support for Nursing Students in Need
(Marion) A single $500 gift by the 2024 Marion Technical College nursing class for a scholarship for a nursing student in need triggered an avalanche of gifts from other students and the community. The gift snowballed into a fully-endowed annual scholarship fund. The MTC RN Alumni Legacy Scholarship will be awarded to second-year nursing students, removing barriers to graduation.
“I have been blown away by the community response. To think that our small donation sparked a domino effect and now is a fund that can bless the lives of many students is deeply humbling,” said Michelle Little of Delaware, president of the nursing class of 2024. “We appreciate the support MTC and the community have shown and are excited to see this scholarship benefit others who are working to change their own lives and the lives of their patients.”
College Foundation Leaders Applaud Student and Community Generosity
“It’s inspiring to see how one donation sparked such generous giving from other students and the community,” said Ellen Messenger, president of the Marion Technical College Foundation Board of Directors. “I think it speaks to the character of these students and the broad appreciation for Marion Tech’s nurses and how many lives they have touched.”
After seeing the initial gift from the nursing class of 2024, the classes of 2025 and 2026 each conducted fundraising to match that initial gift and keep the scholarship going for another year.
“Our class chose to contribute to the scholarship for second-year nursing students because we understand firsthand how demanding and financially challenging nursing school can be,” said Savannah Irick of Dublin, president of the nursing class of 2025. “We wanted to support those coming after us and help ease even a small part of that burden, while investing in the future of the nursing profession and the compassionate care it represents.”
Each class fundraised through a variety of projects in addition to the demands of the program, clinical rotations, and often full-time jobs and family responsibilities.
Contribution Honors the Legacy of one of the Founders of the Nursing Program
The community also responded. One of those gifts came from Blaine Gutermuth, the husband of the late Shirley Gutermuth. The Marion woman was instrumental in founding the Marion Tech nursing program in the early 1970s. She became director of the program in 1974 and served students for nearly two decades before retiring in 1989. Her surviving spouse was inspired by these students and their gift and thought this was an appropriate way to honor Shirley’s legacy.
Nursing Program Leadership Reflects on the Scholarship’s Impact
The current associate dean of nursing is also humbled by these gifts.
“I am deeply touched by the endowed scholarship fund created by our nursing students. What began as a single act of generosity has grown, class by class, into an annual scholarship that continues to expand its reach, and that growth truly warms my heart,” said Associate Dean Stacie Groll. “Each contribution represents more than a donation; it reflects the compassion, selflessness, and commitment to service that define our students as future nurses. Seeing them choose to lift one another up, even while navigating the demands of nursing school themselves, fills me with pride and hope for the profession. This scholarship is a powerful testament to the character of our nursing students and the values they carry forward into their careers. I could not be more proud of them.”
An Endowed Nursing Scholarship That Will Grow for Future Generations
“The legacy of this scholarship rings true on many different levels,” said Mike Stuckey, director of the Marion Tech Foundation. “Even with low tuition, cost can be a barrier to completion. This paves the way for another nurse to join the ranks of our alumni.”
The endowed scholarship will continue to grow. The larger the endowment, the more students can be aided.
“If your life has been touched by a nursing student – consider contributing so that MTC can continue to educate the needed nurses for our community,” said Dr. Amy Adams, executive vice president of the college.
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