Three Rivers College, a member of the Missouri Health Professionals Consortium, has received a $20,000 grant from Healthy Blue to support scholarships for students pursuing careers in healthcare and committed to serving rural Missouri communities.
The funding is part of a broader investment by Healthy Blue benefiting all five community colleges that make up the Missouri Health Professionals Consortium. Through the initiative, each consortium member is receiving $20,000 to support scholarships for students enrolled in high-demand healthcare programs.
The first TRC students to receive the scholarship are Ellsie Wilkinson of Marble Hill, Madison Massey of Marble Hill, Ryleigh Collins of Fairdealing, and Kylie Keith of Piedmont, who are both studying Occupational Therapy Assistant.
“We are grateful to Healthy Blue for its commitment to strengthening healthcare access in Southeast Missouri,” said Three Rivers President Dr. Wesley Payne. “Current and future students pursuing careers such as Medical Lab Technician, Occupational Therapy Assistant, and Respiratory Care, and the communities they serve, will benefit from Healthy Blue’s support.”
The Missouri Health Professionals Consortium includes Three Rivers, North Central Missouri College Foundation, Moberly Area Community College, State Fair Community College Foundation, and East Central College Foundation.
Communities across Missouri continue to face healthcare workforce shortages that can limit access to care. Through its partnership with the Missouri Health Professionals Consortium, Healthy Blue is investing in students preparing for careers in healthcare while helping reduce financial barriers to education.
“At Healthy Blue, we believe where someone lives should never determine their access to quality healthcare,” said Jeff Davis, President of Healthy Blue in Missouri. “These scholarships help create opportunities for students while strengthening the pipeline of healthcare professionals who will serve rural and underserved communities across Missouri. We are proud to partner with the Missouri Health Professionals Consortium and its member colleges to invest in Missouri’s future healthcare workforce.”
Over the past five years, Healthy Blue has invested more than $500,000 in rural healthcare scholarship initiatives designed to help address workforce shortages and improve access to care in underserved communities throughout Missouri.
The scholarships are expected to increase the number of healthcare professionals serving rural Missouri communities and improve access to culturally competent care for residents across the state.
Healthy Blue is a care management organization serving Missouri Medicaid participants through a statewide network of healthcare providers and community partners. Healthy Blue is committed to improving the health and well-being of Missourians by expanding access to quality, affordable care and supporting initiatives that strengthen healthcare delivery in communities across the state. For more information, visit www.healthybluemo.com.
Three Rivers students receive more than $14 million in financial aid each year. For more information, trcc.edu/pay-for-college/financial-aid/.
