Graduations Serve as a Reminder of the Importance of Education

‘Tis the season for graduations and end-of-the-school-year celebrations. Many of us have a personal connection to graduation this year. Perhaps you have a loved one graduating from high school, college or even preschool. Maybe you are the one celebrating this special milestone in your life. One of my sons just graduated from college and there is no way to express the pride a parent feels at such a momentous occasion. Every year, GBMC celebrates and applauds graduates for their accomplishments in the Greater Connections Honors Graduates edition – don’t forget to check it out when it hits publications stands and the InfoWeb in a few weeks.

Speaking of education and milestones, GBMC takes continuing education for staff very seriously. The tuition assistance program is just one of the ways in which our employees can get help with pursuing a degree. We also offer educational assistance through the T. Rowe Price Family Education Fund, the Physician Education Fund, 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Training and Upgrading Fund, as well as partnerships with Drexel University Online, Kaplan University and Stevenson University for nursing. This allows employees to either increase their expertise in their current field, or explore a whole new career in healthcare. What it comes down to is this – we are invested in our workforce and believe that knowledge is important, especially for healthcare professionals and especially for those of us who want to make our current system better.

Sarah Schwarzmann is a great example of an employee pursuing educational opportunities. Sarah, a User Support Specialist in the MIS Department, is working towards a nursing degree thanks to the T. Rowe Price Family Education Fund.  Chris Cooper, an Accounting Specialist in Corporate Finance, is also advancing his education through the fund. Currently studying Accounting at Carroll Community College, he plans to continue with graduate studies at University of Baltimore.

As humans, we often look for ways to continue to grow and better ourselves as we age, and I can think of no better way to do this than through education. Take advantage of all that GBMC’s tuition and educational programs have to offer. You’ll be glad you did. Have you earned a degree thanks to GBMC’s education programs? I’d love to hear about your experience.

Finally, on an unrelated note, I just returned from a business trip with Eric Melchior, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Susan Martielli, General Counsel, to speak with the companies that sell us catastrophic malpractice insurance. We have to convince our reinsurance companies that we are doing the right things to make our care as good and safe as we can make it. I want to thank you all for your continued diligence in standardizing the work we do and your focus on providing quality care in a safe environment. When we make our healthcare system more reliable, it helps us to minimize risk and contain insurance costs. Money saved can then be dedicated to other areas of importance.

P.S. – The InfoWeb and our Human Resources Department can provide more information about educational opportunities at GBMC.

• Tuition Assistance and T. Rowe Price Family Education Fund are featured on the Human Resources pages, under “Organizational Development and Training.” Or contact Sharon Croghan at ext. 3074.
• Physician Education Fund information can be found on the Nursing page, under “Educational Offerings/Scholarships.” Interested in Nursing school at Stevenson? Contact Jami Hohner, School Affiliate Liaison, at ext. 3704.
• To find out more about the 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Training and Upgrading Fund, stop by Human Resources to pick up a form.