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| SCC students Tasha Raper (left) of Murphy and Brett Kerby of Lake Junaluska recently won scholarships from the N.C. Association of Respiratory Educators. |
Last month at the N.C. Association of Respiratory Educators symposium in Wilmington, six $600 scholarships were awarded to respiratory therapy students at community colleges across the state.
One-third of those went to Southwestern Community College students.
Tasha Raper of Murphy and Brett Kerby of Lake Junaluska were each awarded the Jim Whitley Scholarship last month in Wilmington.
“Competition is always extremely tough for these scholarships,” said Dr. Mitch Fischer, dean of health sciences at SCC. “We’re proud of Tasha and Brett for their accomplishments and for the way they represent Southwestern.”
The scholarships are named in honor of Whitley - a member of the first respiratory therapy graduating class at Central Piedmont Community College. He played an integral role in the formation of the Respiratory Care Licensing Board and was a faculty member for the Respiratory Therapy program at CPCC for 30 years.
Raper and Kerby are in their first year at SCC, and they’re scheduled to graduate in May.
“I chose respiratory therapy because it’s a critical part of healthcare,” Raper said. “It’s a good way to help people.”
Kerby’s reasons were similar.
“There is no more rewarding job than when you help other people out,” he said. “I know the job outlook is good.”
For more information about the respiratory therapy program at SCC, call 828.339.4000, visit www.southwesterncc.edu or drop by the college’s Jackson Campus.
