National Park College (NPC) Respiratory Therapy students Amber Ashburn and Mitchell
Beard were awarded the Lawrence Respiratory Foundation’s Professional Achievement
in Respiratory Care scholarship this semester.
The award is a $1,500 scholarship established to support senior students in the Respiratory
Therapy program. Scholarship recipients are required to have a minimum 3.0 GPA and
participate in an interview in addition to an essay and application.
Lawrence Foundation President, Gretchen Lawrence presented the awards to an audience
of Respiratory Therapy students during a ceremony July 25. Lawrence said, “My husband
and I created the foundation because we both believe in higher education and I believe
so much in the community college system.”
Ashburn said this scholarship means she can put more of her efforts into studying.
“I won’t have to depend on my support system as much, which breaks my heart. I know
it is short-term, but this is just so rewarding.” She said the most rewarding part
of her work is watching patients recover. She noted, “Just seeing people who are at
their weakest moments, and being able to turn them back around and see them come out
of it and thank you.”
Beard said the scholarship means he can spend more time focused on his studies. He
said he loves the interaction with patients the most. Beard explained his experience
after his wife’s aortic aneurysm five years ago, where she spent three weeks in a
cardiac intensive care unit (ICU) and endured months of respiratory therapy as a result.
“I saw what they did and how important it was to her.” Beard credits the work of the
respiratory team for greatly improving her quality of life following the incident.
“I want to give that back,” he added.
Both Ashburn and Beard are excited to begin their careers in respiratory care and
have enjoyed the hands-on skills and practice they were able to experience working
at Saline Memorial Hospital in Benton. “They have a more hands-on kind of practice
because it is a smaller hospital. There is more therapy and you have more time to
spend with the patient,” said Beard. Ashburn and Beard will graduate in May of 2020.
Pictured is Mitchell Beard, Gretchen Lawrence, and Amber Ashburn.
