National Park College (NPC) Respiratory Therapy students Sara Furgerson and Raelee
Perry were awarded the Lawrence Respiratory Foundation’s Professional Achievement
in Respiratory Care scholarship last week.
The award is a $1,800 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 the program orientation July 16. Lawrence said,
“We established the foundation in 2018 because we wanted to support not only respiratory
therapy, but National Park College and Hot Springs where we have lived since 2012.”
The foundation has awarded five scholarships since it was established.
Furgerson is a graduate of Sheridan High School and said she has loved her experience
at NPC. “I love National Park. It has been a good college,” she said. She said this
scholarship will allow her to spend more time with her children. “I can focus on my
studies and not have to try to add work as much into it.”
She plans to transfer to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences after completing
the program to complete her bachelor’s degree and hopes to continue on to medical
school. “I am just very thankful to have this opportunity and to have a moment to
where I can take a breath and focus on my studies without having to worry about extra
income,” she added.
Perry is a graduate of Mountain Pine High School. She transferred to NPC after attending
another university and said coming to NPC allowed her to stay close to her family
and take care of her mother. “The class sizes are so much smaller. It’s been a lot
more for me and more like family than the huge stadium classrooms.”
“A lot of financial burden is lifted. I pay out of pocket. Right now, so I can focus
on school, just my husband works, so it’s going to be a big relief,” said Perry. She
plans to complete her bachelor’s degree after graduation and hopes to pursue telemedicine.
Pictured left to right Gretchen Lawrence, Paul Lowe, Sara Furgerson and Raelee Perry.
