Geisinger Career Program Expands to Include Respiratory Therapy Geisinger’s Nursing and Health Sciences Scholars Program aims to fill critical nursing and health sciences roles while providing more career opportunities to Geisinger employees Geisinger is helping more employees follow their calling to care for others by adding a respiratory therapy pathway to Geisinger’s Nursing and Health Sciences Scholars Program. Previously called Geisinger’s Nursing Scholars Program, this career development program financially and professionally supports employees pursuing a career in nursing or select health sciences. “We’re very excited to add respiratory therapy to our Nursing and Health Sciences Scholars Program,” said Wayne Williams, clinical manager of respiratory services at Geisinger Community Medical Center. “This is a big step for our team and profession. It shows the significant role our respiratory therapists play in the care of our patients and our commitment to working across different disciplines to improve outcomes. This change reflects our dedication to building a skilled workforce ready to take on the evolving needs of our patients.” According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of respiratory therapists is expected to increase faster than average over the next decade. The aging baby boom generation is leading to an older population that tends to have the most respiratory conditions, including pneumonia, COPD or other diseases commonly associated with aging. How the program works Open to employees starting day one of employment, the Nursing and Health Sciences Scholars Program covers part of the cost of pursuing any of the following careers in return for committing to work at Geisinger: Registered nurse (RN) – $40,000 in financial assistance with a three-year work commitment as an inpatient RN Respiratory therapist – $30,000 in financial assistance with a three-year work commitment Surgical technologist – $22,500 in financial assistance with a two-and-a-half-year work commitment Licensed practical nurse (LPN) – $20,000 in financial assistance with a two-year work commitment as an inpatient LPN Certified medical assistant (CMA) – $7,000 in financial assistance with a two-year work commitment as an outpatient CMA While supporting employee career and professional goals, the program also mitigates a shortage of nurses and critical health sciences team members across Geisinger. Since its launch in 2021, the program has helped more than 400 employees further their career journeys. To set the nursing scholars up for success, the program offers guidance in choosing a school and type of degree. Geisinger nurses and leaders also offer mentorship support. “Many of our employees are eager to pursue nursing or other health careers, but need additional support to do so,” said Janet Tomcavage, RN, executive vice president and chief nursing executive at Geisinger. “Changing careers is a major decision and studying while working is a huge undertaking — not to mention the cost of it all. The Nursing and Health Sciences Program has been a difference-maker for so many of our employees by providing the financial, professional and well-being support they need to succeed. I’m incredibly proud of our scholars and I’m grateful to Geisinger for investing in our employees and their futures.” The Geisinger program serves as an entry point into the health care profession for high school students or anyone considering a career in nursing or health sciences. Applications to the program are accepted throughout the year. Geisinger employees who are already in school to pursue one of the career pathways included in the program can apply up to 12 months before their anticipated graduation date. All Geisinger School of Nursing students can take advantage of the program, regardless of employment status, if they commit to work at Geisinger upon graduation. Community members who are not Geisinger employees can apply for available positions at Geisinger and qualify for the program starting on employment. Visit geisinger.org/nursingscholars for details on Geisinger’s Nursing and Health Sciences Scholars Program.
The Wright Center’s Dr. Doug Klamp Gives Message for National Nurses Week I don’t need to tell you how vital nurses are to our health care system. They are, without question, the most essential of essential personnel – skilled, compassionate, dedicated, and absolutely indispensable to physicians like me. Nurses are the ones at the bedside day and night, answering calls, comforting patients, coordinating care, and often serving as the bridge between patients and the rest of the care team. Their impact is immeasurable. That’s why I’m especially glad to recognize National Nurses Month – and more specifically, National Nurses Week, observed annually from May 6-12. It’s a time to thank nurses for their tireless efforts, professional excellence, and the deep humanity they bring to everything they do. The idea for the observance came from Dorothy Sutherland, an employee of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, who sent a letter to President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953 proposing a specially designated day for nurses for that October. While Eisenhower never signed the proclamation, the first National Nurses Week was celebrated in October 1954 – the 100th anniversary of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale’s service in the Crimean War. It took two more decades before the observance gained official recognition. In 1974, President Richard Nixon issued a proclamation designating a National Nurses Week. Then, in 1981, the state of New Mexico took it a step further by declaring May 6 – Nightingale’s birthday – as a National Recognition Day for Nurses. President Ronald Reagan formalized this recognition the following year. This year, the American Nurses Enterprise is promoting the theme “The Power of Nurses.” It’s a fitting tribute to the remarkable contributions that nurses make every day – often while navigating enormous challenges like staffing shortages, public health emergencies, and increasing demands on their time and expertise. At The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, we’re proud to celebrate our exceptional team of nurses and nurse practitioners. They are not just caregivers – they are educators, advocates, and leaders in every sense of the word. In fact, several of our nurse practitioners serve as clinical leads in our community health centers, managing teams and ensuring all of our patients – from pediatrics to geriatrics – receive affordable, high-quality, whole-person primary health services. Recognizing the need to prepare more nurses for advanced practice roles, The Wright Center launched a 12-month Nurse Practitioner Fellowship in Family Medicine, one of the few programs of its kind in Pennsylvania. Modeled after the pioneering initiative created by Community Health Center Inc., in Connecticut, the fellowship provides newly certified nurse practitioners with intensive hands-on experience and mentoring during their first year in practice. The fellows rotate through clinical settings focused on pediatrics, mental and behavioral health, infectious diseases, and addiction and recovery services at our Clarks Summit, Mid Valley, and Scranton health centers. This program is a testament to our commitment to developing the physician, nursing, and interprofessional health care workforce that America needs to address gaps in primary care. As the demand for health care continues to grow – particularly in underserved areas – nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses will play an increasingly central role. So, whether you’re a nurse practitioner, registered nurse, or licensed practical nurse, know this: Your work is seen, valued, and deeply appreciated. You are the lifeblood of health care. This Nurses Week, and every week, I tip my hat to you. Thank you for all that you do for our patients, our clinicians, our care teams, and our communities.
Allied Services Integrated Health System Appoints Peter J. Moses to Board of Directors Allied Services Integrated Health System is proud to announce the appointment of Attorney Peter J. Moses to its Board of Directors, effective May 2025. The appointment was approved by the Board in recognition of Mr. Moses’s dedication to public service and his deep ties to the Northeastern Pennsylvania community. This appointment holds particular personal meaning for Mr. Moses, whose late father, John Peter Moses, had a longstanding connection to Allied Services and received compassionate care from the organization before his passing. The opportunity to contribute to the mission of Allied Services is a deeply personal honor. “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” – Peter J. Moses, Esquire Mr. Moses brings to the Board a unique blend of legal expertise, civic leadership, and heartfelt dedication to community-centered care. His experience and perspective will support Allied Services’ ongoing commitment to excellence in healthcare and rehabilitation.
Johnson College Announces 2025 Summer Camp Series SCRANTON, Pa. (May 1, 2025) – Johnson College will host a 2025 Summer Camp Series for rising 5th through 8th grade students. There will be nine different camps that will run on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and include hands-on learning in building trades, robotics, drafting and design, animal sciences, and engineering and aviation. Through the support of Pleasant Mount Welding, Inc., and the Wayne County Community Foundation, all of the Johnson College summer camps will be free to participants. Participants must bring their own lunch. To register for a Johnson College Summer Camp, visit https://johnson.edu/summercamps/. For more information, contact Tim Frank, Associate Director of Community Engagement at Johnson College at tfrank@johnson.edu. 2025 Johnson College Summer Camp list: Building Trades at the Stourbridge Tech Hub in Honesdale June 23-27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the basics of carpentry and how to use hand and power tools safely to build a project. Registration deadline: June 2 Robotics at the Stourbridge Tech Hub in Honesdale June 23-27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the basics of robotics and robotics block coding to use robots to complete various coding challenges. Registration deadline: June 2 Robotics at the Carbondale High School June 23-26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the basics of robotics and robotics block coding to use robots to complete various coding challenges. Registration deadline: June 2 Building Trades at Johnson College Scranton July 7-11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the basics of carpentry and how to use hand and power tools safely to build a project. Registration deadline: June 20 Robotics at Johnson College Hazleton July 7-11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the basics of robotics and robotics block coding to use robots to complete various coding challenges. Registration deadline: June 20 Drafting & Design at Johnson College Scranton July 14-18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the basics of AutoCAD and REVIT design principles and techniques to complete various design challenges. Registration deadline: June 27 Animal Science at Johnson College Scranton July 14-16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn about careers in the Veterinary Nursing field, animal anatomy, clinical procedures, and complete a dissection. Registration deadline: June 27 Robotics at Johnson College Scranton August 4-8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the basics of robotics and robotics block coding to use robots to complete various coding challenges. Registration deadline: July 25 Engineering & Aviation at Johnson College Scranton August 11-15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the basics of engineering with an emphasis on aviation to complete various hands-on design challenges. Registration deadline: July 25
Grey Towers to Host Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Grey Towers Heritage Association invites the public to attend an afternoon of “innocent merriment” at a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera selections at Grey Towers in Milford, PA on May 17 at 3 p.m. Librettist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan were a renowned Victorian-era theatrical partnership. They are best known for their comic operas, which are considered to be some of the finest examples of British musical theatre. Their profound influence on the development of modern American musical theatre is undeniable. Theatre scholar and critic John Bush Jones cited Gilbert and Sullivan as “the primary progenitors of the twentieth century American musical”. Their works often satirized Victorian society with elements of fantasy and absurdity. Though written 150 years ago, their amusing social commentaries continue to be resonant today. Gilbert and Sullivan’s most famous works include The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, and H.M.S. Pinafore. This will be the first time The Sylvania Gilbert and Sullivan Society will be performing at Grey Towers. The performance will consist of a montage of songs presented by members of The Sylvania Gilbert and Sullivan Society, whose purpose is to bring the love and magic of opera, music, and theatre to the Delaware Valley area. “The Society’s goals are to produce the works of Gilbert and Sullivan for the community, to showcase local talent, to lift spirits, to educate, and to unify us through art,” states Emer Day, Grey Towers Heritage Association Board Member and Artistic Director of The Sylvania Gilbert and Sullivan Society. “As we continue to expand our events and programs for local residents and tourists, we invite the public to walk the lush grounds of the historic Pinchot mansion and enjoy a fun afternoon of comical opera,” states Will Voelkel, GTHA Board Member. The event takes place at the Pool Pavilion at Grey Towers, rain or shine. Tickets are available at www.greytowers.org/events and offer student, member and non-member pricing. The performance is recommended for those age 8 and above, and light refreshments will be served.
