St. Mary’s Health Center Foundation has established a new nursing scholarship for Lincoln University students in honor of Sister Mary Jean Ryan, FSM, board chair and former chief executive officer of SSM Health Care. 

Ryan was the first CEO of SSM Health Care, and during her 25 years in that position, she led SSM to become the first health care organization in the nation to receive the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award.  She transitioned from CEO to board chair in 2011, and this scholarship commemorates her visionary leadership and outstanding service to SSM and St. Mary’s.

“This scholarship is a reflection of our partnership with St. Mary’s in serving mid-Missouri,” says Dr. Connie Hamacher, director of Lincoln University’s Department of Nursing. “We are grateful to St. Mary’s Foundation and extremely pleased to provide this new opportunity to nursing students at Lincoln.”

The Sister Mary Jean Ryan, Lincoln University Nursing Scholarship will be awarded annually in May during National Nurses Week to a student enrolled in nursing classes at Lincoln University. Criteria for the scholarship include permanent residence in mid-Missouri; a minimum grade-point average; completion of 30 or more hours in the nursing program; and exemplification of the St. Mary’s values of compassion, respect, excellence, stewardship and community.

Applications must be submitted to the St. Mary’s Foundation office by April 1, 2012. For more information about the scholarship or to request an application, contact Donna Thomas at (573) 761-7156.