Date: Fri 07-Mar-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Holian-nursing-scholarship

Full Text:

Mary Holian Scholarship

Awarded To Nursing Student

The Newtown Visiting Nurse Association Mary M. Holian Scholarship for

Returning Students has been awarded to Connie Kovacs (center) of 19 Plum Trees

Road, a nursing student at Pace University. The $1,000 scholarship award was

presented by Sally Schwerdtle, (left) VNA scholarship chairman, and Margareta

Kotch, VNA treasurer and past president. -Bee Photo, Valenta

The Newtown Visiting Nurse Association has awarded its $1,000 Mary M. Holian

Scholarship for Returning Students to Connie Kovacs for her studies at Pace

University.

Ms Kovacs, a 1988 graduate of Newtown High School, earned a bachelor's degree

in economics at the University of New Hampshire.

After working in business for several years, she decided that she wanted to be

a nurse. She enrolled at Pace, where she is in the Combined Degree Program

(CDP) earning a bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN) and a family nurse

practitioner (FNP) degree.

She is the daughter of Paul and Bunny Kovacs of 19 Plum Trees Road.

The Mary M. Holian scholarship is awarded annually to individuals who live in

Newtown and who are returning to school for a nursing degree, either an

associate or BSN. The applicant must be entering the second year of training,

provided he or she has completed the first year within the last five years.

Selection is based on interest in the nursing profession, personality,

scholarship, financial need and upon the recommendation of a faculty adviser

or dean.

The scholarship was established in 1988 in honor and appreciation of Mary M.

Holian for her dedication and leadership in the field of public health nursing

in Newtown and in the state of Connecticut. She has served on the Newtown VNA

Board for 30 years, nine of those as president. She was a charter member and

past president of the state organization, the Association of Community Health

Care Service Agencies.

She was responsible for the establishment of many of the Newtown VNA programs,

including the well-child conferences, the scholarship programs, and the

consortium with the Danbury VNA to provide nursing services to Newtown.

Within a few weeks, the guidance offices of Newtown High School and Immaculate

High School in Danbury will have application forms for the $2,000 Anna E. Clow

Scholarship, which the VNA awards annually to graduating seniors from Newtown

who intend to pursue nursing studies.

Information about the scholarships also is available by writing to Sally

Schwerdtle, 447 North Park Avenue, Easton, Conn. 06612, or by calling her at

(203) 268-8333.