(Seguin) — A pioneer and a continuous pillar in establishing the medical community in Seguin is getting the recognition she deserves thanks to the awarding of the first ever Betty Ann Matthies Education Scholarship.
The award is to be given to an employee at Guadalupe Regional Medical Center that is “currently advancing their healthcare career and reflects key characteristics of Betty Ann Matthies, such as a strong work ethic, passion for health care, team spirit and a desire to help and serve others.”
Applauding the Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation’s efforts of establishing this award is Jeff Koehler, chair of the scholarship committee.
Koehler says the committee which has always had a vision for this tribute is thankful that it now comes in conjunction with Matthies’ recent retirement from the GRMC board of managers.
The milestone marks the end of 60 plus continuous years of serving the medical community as one of the founders of the local hospital and all of its implementations along the way.
“She has just been a life blood to the hospital here in Seguin and as director of nursing, she was a caregiver and a teacher to young nurses in developing the life blood of that hospital and the way they were going to do business there at the hospital. She was a teacher about that and then as mayor of Seguin – as a city councilmember and then mayor, she exemplified that role that the hospital played in this community. To make it a viable community, we needed our community area hospital to be really top notch so her vision and her leadership and her teaching and love for the hospital, it was just pretty adamant that we needed to honor her legacy in this way,” said Koehler.
Matthies says she is honored by the scholarship endowment fund that has been established to continue the work and progress of all those at GRMC.
“I myself, I think it is wonderful. To name it after me, it’s an honor but there’s no reason because I am not the one that has made us who we are. It’s been a group of people ever since I can remember ever since we were over there on Weinert Street that the people that have come together to this hospital are a wonderful group and all we need is the support of people so that they can be just like that young man that I was happy to give the very first one (scholarship) to. He was so so happy,” said Matthies.
And that young man that was awarded the inaugural scholarship was Tanner Penshorn. Penshorn who started at GRMC as an ER tech now works as a LVN in the hospital’s ER Department. Penshorn says although he had never met Matthies, he definitely knew of her.
“I’m pretty honored. It’s pretty cool to receive something from a woman that has done so much for Seguin,” said Penshorn.
Penshorn who was presented with the $1,000 scholarship says the money has already gone to tuition. Now, he looks forward to his new plans for his future.
“I am a LVN right now in the ER and I will finish in December with my RN and then, I plan to continue going and maybe be a nurse practioner,” said Penshorn.
Matthies says having been a part of the GRMC family for years, she knows just how important these types of scholarships are and how they wouldn’t be possible without the employees who work behind the scenes to make it all happen including the medical foundation’s CEO Elaine Bennett.
“I’m just excited and I just want everybody to know I take very little credit for it. You look at that lovely lady that is from the foundation who works all the time and is great in doing things and there’s other people in here. The only thing that is with me, they were nice enough to maybe name it after me but I want to be able to be an example but there is many many other people out there that are doing more than me and I know it because now I’m 88 years old and so the generations beside me are doing a wonderful job in this hospital and I am just proud that I’ve been a part of it all these years,” said Matthies.
Koehler says the scholarship committee looks to continue this award and encourages the community to support those looking to elevate themselves while they continue to work at GRMC.
“It will be an annual scholarship. We are constantly and currently and will be soliciting funds for people if someone would like to contribute to the fund in Betty Ann’s honor, that would be awesome. The scholarship will be awarded every year to one person in this particular scholarship. I think the vision for the foundation is that it will be to help an employee of Guadalupe Regional Medical Center who want to – not just better themselves and extend their education experience but wants to take their experience to the next level. It’s a nurse who wants to go to medical school or a receptionist that is ready to become a nurse,” said Koehler.
Those wishing to give to the scholarship are asked to visit grmedfoundation.org or call 830-401-1385.