Dr. Kevin Sterk Memorial Scholarships Awarded for two MHP Employees Pursuing Nursing Degree
Ginger Sterk (left) and Glenn Sterk (far right) present MHP Employees Summer West and Victoria Life with a $500 scholarship to further their education in nursing. The Sterks are the parents of the late Dr. Kevin Sterk, a psychiatrist at MHP who died unexpectedly in 2010. In his memory, they established the scholarship because of their son’s great respect for nurses and their valuable contribution to the healthcare field.
Oskaloosa – Dr. Kevin Sterk was a psychiatrist who cared for the patients of MHP Behavioral Health Services and Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry for three years; until his unexpected death in 2010.
According to MHP CEO Jay Christensen, Dr. Sterk was known for his collaboration with staff throughout MHP to ensure the best care for his patients. “He had a great respect for nurses and their importance in the overall care of patients,” Christensen said.
In Dr. Sterk’s memory, his parents, Glenn and Ginger Sterk of Grinnell, established a $500 scholarship through the Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation for an MHP employee pursuing a nursing degree or advancing in their current nursing degree as an RN, BSN or Nurse Practitioner.
“Kevin worked his way through 12 years of college to become a psychiatrist and admired those who worked hard to get a higher education,” Glenn said. “He also understood the important role nurses play in caring for patients.”
“We thought establishing a memorial scholarship would be a great way to honor Kevin, we just didn’t expect to get such great applicants the first time out,” Ginger explained.
A subcommittee of the MHP Foundation reviewed the applications and had a very difficult time choosing only one. The Sterks agreed, and decided to award TWO scholarships!
Victoria Life of Oskaloosa currently works in the MHP Emergency Department as a Unit Secretary and is pursuing an RN degree from Indian Hills Community College. She calls it an amazing job where she can learn and grow as a future nurse and support nurses, paramedics and physicians in the ED.
Summer West of Ottumwa currently works on Inpatient Services and is pursuing her Bachelor’s degree (BSN) in Nursing at William Penn University. She said MHP is her first job as an RN, and is the only place she applied because she knew how fantastic the staff is after performing clinicals at the organization.
“This has been a great process for us and we look forward to continuing this scholarship to help MHP employees advancing their nursing degree. It’s something Kevin would do himself if he were still with us,” Ginger said.
