Triton Salutes Westlake Scholarship Foundation as Partner of the Year

2009-06-23 17:00:00
The Westlake Scholarship Foundation was honored as the 2009 Triton College Outstanding Partner of the Year at a breakfast ceremony June 9. Among the attendees, were several scholarship recipients and alumni, representatives from Westlake Hospital, Triton College board members, as well as the college's president, Dr. Patricia Granados, and staff.

The scholarship was created nine years ago to encourage less fortunate students to explore the health care profession and its different career paths. The scholarship affords students the ability to become paid employees at the hospital.

"We are here to pay tribute to the organization's key funding source, and hopefully (for our students) it leads to a viable career at Westlake," said Cheryl Antonich, the associate vice president of Academic Affairs. Antonich emphasized that the ideal goal was to "provide hope to students who would otherwise not experience hope in their daily lives." A goal that has obviously been reached considering the success stories of some of the program's alumni.

Among the alumni in attendance were Amy Prochase, Janet Hernandez, Josh Martinez, David Nickles and Eduardo Valez. These students have all undergone life changing events and have been forever positively impacted by the generous donations and support of the Westlake Scholarship Fund and have greatly benefited from the scholarship and the opportunities it has provided. Trading their usual scrubs and hospital garments for stylish dress shirts and tailored slacks, these five individuals were each allowed an opportunity to share what the program meant to them and to one alum in particular, what the scholarship meant to his family.

"My parents lost their jobs and I picked up work at the airport. I had to work and go to school, meaning I had to work more and study less," said Eduardo Valez. "With the Westlake Scholarship I was able to work and earn my degree at the same time."

Now, the peaks of his success are shared by his entire family, more specifically, with his mother. Commenting on her sentiments, Eduardo exclaimed, "My graduation put my mom in a new light. It was like a part of her graduated with me. She was excited and proud of her boy's future."

Dr. Granados briefly spoke on the bright future of the Westlake Scholarship Foundation. She spoke about the need to create a better connection with high school students to encourage them at an earlier age to pursue the benefits that a career path in the health care industry can potentially lead to.

Granados then recognized Westlake Hospital Health Careers as the "Official Partner of the Year" with the presentation of a plaque to Jane Stenske who accepted the award on behalf of Westlake Hospital.

"On behalf of the board of trustees and Triton College's faculty and staff, I thank you for helping us to fulfill our mission to prepare the community for the workforce," Granados said.

For more information on the 2009 Partner of the Year event, please call (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3220.

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