By Susanne Reynolds

Bainbridge State College’s School of Health Sciences & Professional Studies (HSPS) is invested in its students—and exemplifies their investment by providing financial resources—which many students having benefited based on their needs.

“We look at the students’ needs when determining in what ways to assist them,” said Kathleen Ketterer, Dean of HSPS at Bainbridge State. “We asked them what we could do to help them succeed and the programs we developed were all areas the students said they needed help with—and we had the ability to help them.”

Three resources HSPS provides for its students are the textbook lending library, financial aid assistance for childcare and a scholarship.

The cost of textbooks can be a barrier to students completing their programs of study, but with the HSPS Lending Library, students can stay on track and not miss school work because they did not have the course textbook. Students can request books from the HSPS Lending Library if Financial Aid is unavailable or insufficient and they are not receiving WIA assistance.

Medical Administrative Technology student, Linda Mitchell, is just one student who has utilized the HSPS Lending Library and found it to be a “lifesaver.”

“I registered late—so I didn’t get all my books in time and I quickly began to fall behind in class,” said Mitchell. “My instructor told me about the lending library. It was a lifesaver for me. And it helped me to not get even further behind and catch up on assignments.”

Many students find it difficult to go to college and take care of small children. The School of Professional Studies & Health Sciences makes it easier to help its parent students with childcare assistance while they are in classes.

Upon approval of the childcare assistance program application, HSPS will pay fifty percent of the student’s current childcare expense with a contracted childcare facility.

P.N. Program student, Ashley Laye, said “Being a single mother, it can be hard to go back to school with two small children. This program definitely helps. It also gives me more time for my studies and I don’t have to worry about my children. I know they are being cared for.”

The HSPS faculty and staff went even further in assisting their students. Recently, they began offering a scholarship fully funded by the HSPS faculty and staff for a non-traditional student. Last year’s recipient of the scholarship was Brittany Lambert, a Criminal Justice student.

She said, “I am very thankful for this scholarship. It has helped so much with the being in this program, especially with the cost of the books—which can be very expensive. In the long run, I can look back and know it helped me achieve my goals. I encourage other non-traditional students to go for this scholarship and strive to be the best student you can be.”

For more information on HSPS financial assistance resources, contact Special Populations Coordinator, Beverly Thompson at (229) 243-4254.