New Fund Pays Students to Take More College Courses in Early Childhood Education
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/ Categories: NEWS, 2022

New Fund Pays Students to Take More College Courses in Early Childhood Education

Program encourages students to graduate earlier and join the workforce.

BENNINGTON, VT—December 8, 2022— Students pursuing a certificate or degree in early childhood education can get paid to increase the number of college courses they take and graduate sooner. A partnership between the Community College of Vermont (CCV) and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) is leveraging funds secured by Vermont’s federal congressional delegation to pay students while they take college classes.

Many students pursuing a career in early childhood education, otherwise known as child care, are taking classes while working a full- or part-time job. The need for income to cover life expenses can hamper a student’s ability to take a full course load and extends the time until they get their certificate or degree. The new Early Childhood Education (ECE) Residency Program pays students $3,500 if the student reduces their work time and takes more classes.

“The residency program is an outstanding opportunity for students pursuing a degree or certificate in early childhood education at CCV,” said Leslie Johnson, associate academic dean at CCV. “Our students live rich and busy lives, balancing families, work, and careers in addition to the courses that they take at the College. The residency program funds provide a way to alleviate some of the competing demands faced by our students and will support them in accelerating progress toward becoming a professional in the field of early childhood education.”

The Early Childhood Education Residency Program is accepting applications for the spring semester at CCV. The student must be a Vermont resident, be enrolled in a CCV early childhood education certificate or degree program, have completed at least 2 courses at CCV (not exclusive to ECE classes), have completed all financial aid forms, and agree to increase their course enrollment. Students considering applying for the program should discuss the opportunity with their CCV advisor and financial aid counselor. Residency funds are designed to help pay for living expenses during the more intense academic semester.

Paying students to complete degrees more quickly in fields with critical workforce shortages could be a model for addressing the national labor shortage.

“There are community colleges across the nation with students balancing work and academics which slows progression to a degree,” said James Trimarchi, director of Planning at SVMC. “One or two semesters of payment for life expenses, while redirecting effort to academics would shorten the time to a degree considerably and could greatly increase the number of professionals in the labor force.”

The Residency Program has limited funds and is determining funding on a rolling basis. The final deadline for applications is December 15, 2022. The two-page application is simple and should take less than 20 minutes to complete. The program anticipates funding 8-10 residents. For more information and to obtain an application contact James Trimarchi at james.trimarchi@svhealthcare.org. Spring classes at CCV begin January 23, 2023. To learn more, visit www.ccv.edu.

About CCV:
CCV is Vermont’s second-largest college, serving nearly 10,000 students each year. With 12 locations and extensive online learning options, our students don’t have to travel far from their communities to access our degree and certificate programs, workforce, secondary and continuing education opportunities, and academic and veterans support services.

About SVHC:
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, healthcare system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices.

Southwestern Vermont Health Care is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC ranked fourth nationwide for the value of care it provides by the Lown Institute Hospital Index in 2020 and is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. The health system is fortunate to have the support of platinum-level corporate sponsor Mack, a leading supplier of contract manufacturing services and injection molded plastic parts based in Arlington, VT.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.

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Congratulations to SVMC's Graduates

As families around the region celebrate their graduates, SVMC is celebrating those who work here. We spoke with a few of our new registered nurses (RN) to see what it’s like to join the SVMC team at this unusual time in history.

Kelly Dobbert, RN
Bachelor's of Science in Nursing, Southern Vermont College and Castleton University
"Achieving this accomplishment during this time is certainly a unique situation… but an interesting time to come into the field. Even though there is a lot of uncertainty, I am very excited to be a part of the SVHC team!"

Katherine Doucette, RN
Bachelor's of Science in Nursing, Castleton University
"Graduating during a pandemic certainly has been interesting, but at the same time, it has provided the opportunity for a lot of unique memories! Our nursing pinning was virtual… and even though we didn’t have a graduation, we had cake and cupcakes in the Emergency Department on the night it was supposed to happen. Transitioning to my new role has been exciting, despite all that is going on, and I am looking forward to all that is to come!"

Meghan Jutras, RN
Associate's Degree in Nursing, Vermont Technical College
SVMC employee since 2014
"While it has been a stressful time to be a new graduate and finishing school during a pandemic, it has also been rewarding. It has given me a sense of how important it is to be flexible and goal oriented. I am thankful for the exceptional support from my co-workers and providers in the OB/GYN office. They have gone above and beyond throughout this journey. I plan to start my bachelor’s in Nursing in the fall."

Makayla Sonnet, RN
Associate's Degree in Nursing, Vermont Technical College
"Obtaining a nursing degree during this particular moment in history brought about many challenges and added stress. I am thankful that the amazing professors at Vermont Technical College were able to support my classmates and me in the transition to online learning. I am excited and grateful to be starting my nursing career in the Intensive Care Unit at SVMC."

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