FedPoint Recognized Recipients of Inaugural Nursing Scholarship During National Nurses Week

Portsmouth, NH (May 12, 2023)—Federal insurance and benefits administrator FedPoint^® hosted an award ceremony on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at its Portsmouth headquarters to recognize the inaugural recipients of the annual FedPoint Nursing Scholarship. FedPoint selected three graduating high school students and one student entering graduate school to each receive $5,000 towards their tuition as they pursue their career in nursing. The ceremony took place during National Nurses Week, which occurs from May 6-12.

The recipients are:

• Emily Roberge of Somersworth, NH
• Grace McHugh of Concord, NH
• Marisa Behl of Georgetown, MA
• Maya Barthel of Nottingham, NH

These candidates stood out in a field of more than 100 applicants, all demonstrating strong work ethic, a passion for community, academic rigor, and a heartfelt desire to help improve the lives of others.

"I am sincerely honored to have been selected as a recipient of the FedPoint Nursing Scholarship," said scholarship recipient Emily Roberge. "This award will allow me to pursue my degree in the fall at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. For me, this scholarship is more than financial support, but evidence that my accomplishments thus far haven't gone unnoticed, and that others see me as having potential in the future of healthcare."

The recipients were recognized for their achievement in-person at the May 10 event.

"Thank you so much for offering me this scholarship," said scholarship recipient Grace McHugh. "This is going to make it possible for me to attend nursing school, and I promise that I will give back to those in need as a nurse!"

"Being a patient at Boston Children's Hospital showed me how invested the doctors and nurses are in their patients' lives," said scholarship recipient Maya Barthel. "This was the first time I realized that nursing was a possible career for me to pursue."

"I don't remember the exact date I decided that I wanted to be a nurse," said scholarship recipient Marisa Behl. "But I also don't remember wanting to be anything else."

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu extended his congratulations to the recipients in a statement, which was read during the ceremony.

"I'm thrilled to see the first round of scholarships get into the hands of prospective nursing students," said New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. "Having three of the four awardees come from New Hampshire shows our students' enthusiasm to enter this incredibly important field. Emily, Grace, Marisa, and Maya – congratulations!"

FedPoint first announced the launch of the scholarship program in May 2022. Open to applicants living in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts, the objective of the scholarship is to help address the current shortage of qualified nurses and strengthen the future nursing workforce in northern New England and beyond.

"The FedPoint scholarship is our way of affirming, supporting and expressing our gratitude to those who wish to become nurses," said FedPoint's Director of Care Coordination Marilyn Staff, RN. "FedPoint is working to raise awareness that nursing remains a rewarding career path with strong prospects now and in the future. With a projected 195,000 openings for registered nurses each year, our scholarship recipients are entering school at a critical moment. They are the future of nursing."

FedPoint was joined in the selection and presentation of the scholarships by partner organizations Cornerstone Visiting Nurse Association, the Emergency Nurses Association's New Hampshire State Council and Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital Network.

"FedPoint is proud to stand side by side with medical facilities and associations across the Granite State that are eager to support the next generation of nurses," said FedPoint's Executive Sponsor of Corporate Giving Brian Frankenfield. "To say we were impressed by the caliber of student this scholarship attracted is an understatement. If the character, passion, and drive exhibited by Maya, Marisa, Grace, and Emily are any indication of the greater whole, we can be confident the future of nursing is in capable, compassionate hands."

For more information on the FedPoint Nursing Scholarship, visit fedpointusa.com/scholarships.