Sentara Health
10/02/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/02/2026 10:55
Sentara invests $1.3M in CRNA workforce through EVMS at ODU scholarship
15 nursing students received $30,000 scholarships, and an open invitation to join Sentara upon graduation
Sentara Health is looking ahead to the growing need for anesthesia services by investing in nurses now studying to be certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). Through a new partnership with the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Ellmer School of Nursing at Old Dominion University, Sentara has provided 15 third-year CRNA candidates with $30,000 each in scholarships to help fund their education and an invitation to join Sentara upon graduation.
The scholarships were presented by clinical leaders and executives from Sentara, Eastern Virginia Medical School and ODU during a ceremony at EVMS's Waitzer Hall in late September. The evening included hors d'oeuvre and wine, swag bags, balloons and photos to mark the occasion.
"This scholarship program reflects something important to us at Sentara," said Becky Sawyer, executive vice president and chief people officer for Sentara.
"We believe healthcare organizations have a responsibility to invest in the future workforce that patients and communities will depend on. As a health system serving communities across Virginia and North Carolina, we know firsthand how important highly skilled CRNAs are to the care we provide every day. That understanding is what led to our partnership with EVMS and our commitment to support students like you."
Sentara has pledged more than $1.3 million over the next three academic years to support scholarships for up to 60 third-year CRNA students at the Ellmer School of Nursing. There is no employment requirement. The financial commitment is about opening doors, strengthening Sentara's partnership with Old Dominion University, and investing in the future of patient care, Sawyer said.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth in the CRNA profession. For Sentara, with 12 hospitals across Virginia and northeast North Carolina, preparing the next generation of anesthesia professionals is vital to ensuring advanced, high-quality patient care for the communities we serve.
In June 2024, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) published a study blaming a chronic shortage of anesthesia providers for "unsustainable workloads and retirements from clinical practice." The report stated that "the percentage of facilities reporting an anesthesia staffing shortage increased from 35% in early 2020 before the pandemic to 78% in late 2022."
A surge in surgical cases after the pandemic caused a spike in demand for anesthesia services, the ASA said, at a time when providers were nearing retirement and new graduates among physicians and nurses were not replacing the professionals who were leaving practice.
Sentara is working to change that trajectory by bringing anesthesia services in-house, versus using contract providers, and supporting the future generation of anesthesia providers.
"As Sentara strengthens our in-house anesthesia services, we're investing in talented professionals like you," Dr. Karen Seckinger, clinical chief of Sentara Anesthesia Specialists, said to the 15 students who received scholarship certificates.
"We hope this support gives you more time and energy to focus on your education. And when you begin thinking about what comes next, we hope you'll picture yourself continuing that journey with Sentara."
"You will be there for patients at some of their most vulnerable moments, bringing expertise, calm, and confidence when it matters most," Dr. Seckinger added.
But, for that night, she focused on the awarding of competitive scholarships: "That is an extraordinary achievement," she told the students. "And I hope you'll take a moment to enjoy it."
The scholarships were presented by clinical leaders and executives from Sentara, Eastern Virginia Medical School and ODU during a ceremony at EVMS's Waitzer Hall in late September. The evening included hors d'oeuvre and wine, swag bags, balloons and photos to mark the occasion.
"This scholarship program reflects something important to us at Sentara," said Becky Sawyer, executive vice president and chief people officer for Sentara.
"We believe healthcare organizations have a responsibility to invest in the future workforce that patients and communities will depend on. As a health system serving communities across Virginia and North Carolina, we know firsthand how important highly skilled CRNAs are to the care we provide every day. That understanding is what led to our partnership with EVMS and our commitment to support students like you."
Sentara has pledged more than $1.3 million over the next three academic years to support scholarships for up to 60 third-year CRNA students at the Ellmer School of Nursing. There is no employment requirement. The financial commitment is about opening doors, strengthening Sentara's partnership with Old Dominion University, and investing in the future of patient care, Sawyer said.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth in the CRNA profession. For Sentara, with 12 hospitals across Virginia and northeast North Carolina, preparing the next generation of anesthesia professionals is vital to ensuring advanced, high-quality patient care for the communities we serve.
In June 2024, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) published a study blaming a chronic shortage of anesthesia providers for "unsustainable workloads and retirements from clinical practice." The report stated that "the percentage of facilities reporting an anesthesia staffing shortage increased from 35% in early 2020 before the pandemic to 78% in late 2022."
A surge in surgical cases after the pandemic caused a spike in demand for anesthesia services, the ASA said, at a time when providers were nearing retirement and new graduates among physicians and nurses were not replacing the professionals who were leaving practice.
Sentara is working to change that trajectory by bringing anesthesia services in-house, versus using contract providers, and supporting the future generation of anesthesia providers.
"As Sentara strengthens our in-house anesthesia services, we're investing in talented professionals like you," Dr. Karen Seckinger, clinical chief of Sentara Anesthesia Specialists, said to the 15 students who received scholarship certificates.
"We hope this support gives you more time and energy to focus on your education. And when you begin thinking about what comes next, we hope you'll picture yourself continuing that journey with Sentara."
"You will be there for patients at some of their most vulnerable moments, bringing expertise, calm, and confidence when it matters most," Dr. Seckinger added.
But, for that night, she focused on the awarding of competitive scholarships: "That is an extraordinary achievement," she told the students. "And I hope you'll take a moment to enjoy it."
Sentara Health published this content on October 02, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 02, 2026 at 16:55 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]