Newtown VNA Awards Van Syckle Scholarship

Samantha Allen of Newtown, a junior at the University of Connecticut in the nursing program at Storrs, is the recipient of the Janice B. Van Syckle Scholarship, awarded by Newtown Visiting Nurse Association.

The Janice B. Van Syckle Scholarship was established by Dr Guy Van Syckle, MD, to honor his wife and her lifelong interest in the nursing profession. Ms Van Syckle was a head nurse at Hartford Hospital, past president of Newtown Visiting Nurse Association, and an active member of the Board of Directors of Newtown VNA for many years.

This scholarship is announced at the end of the senior year at Newtown High School to a student entering a nursing program, pursuing a bachelor of science nursing degree. It is presented to the student when he or she is to begin the clinical portion of their studies.

Samantha is president of the Student Nurses Association, a professional student organization at UConn, and is also a member of Alpha Lamda Delta, an honors fraternity on campus. She has spent her summers since her senior year in high school working at Family Medical Associates in Ridgefield.

She will start her clinicals in the fall at Johnson Memorial Hospital and Masonicare in Stafford Springs.

“She epitomizes the type of student Ms Van Syckle would have wanted to see receive the $2,500 scholarship,” said VNA member Maureen McLachlin on Wednesday, August 15, in awarding the scholarship to Samantha.