Nursing Students Selected for Hospice, Palliative Care Scholarship

Dominican University of California and By the Bay Health have announced the first recipients of the Pat Kendall Memorial Nursing Scholarship, a new scholarship program created to strengthen the region's nursing and home-based care workforce.

Dominican Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) candidates Madison Alban and Jenna Louise Shea were each selected to receive a $25,000 scholarship. The scholarship also includes a preceptorship with the hope of hiring the students upon graduation for job opportunities in adult and pediatric palliative, hospice, and home-based care at By the Bay Health

Launched earlier this year as part of By the Bay Health's Pathways to Care Careers initiative, the Pat Kendall Memorial Nursing Scholarship aims to foster a thriving pipeline of compassionate and skilled nurses prepared to serve the region's rapidly aging population. The program also seeks to help close care gaps for the most vulnerable members of the community.

"By the Bay Health is honored to partner with one of the leading nursing programs in the county to help inspire more nursing students to pursue meaningful and rapidly growing career opportunities in home-based care - one of the fastest growing segments in healthcare," said Skelly Wingard, CEO of By the Bay Health. "We are thrilled to welcome Madison and Jenna as the first recipients of this scholarship and to support their commitment to bringing dignity, compassion, and excellence to patients and families in their homes."

Madison Alban was inspired to pursue nursing through her experience caring for her grandfather, who struggles with Alzheimer's disease. "Being his caregiver taught me it's much more than physical needs - it's about small gestures, reassurance, and compassion," Alban wrote in her scholarship essay. She aspires to become a nurse who "sees people not as patients but as family."

Jenna Louise Shea brings years of experience as a certified nursing assistant in long-term care and as a caregiver for her elderly mother. "Home health care brings together my skills, experiences, and values," Shea shared. "It allows me to serve some of our most vulnerable populations in a way that truly honors their lives and individuality."

As healthcare continues to shift toward health promotion and disease prevention, the role of nurses is expanding beyond the traditional hospital environment, said Dr. Kendra Hoepper, associate professor and chair of nursing at Dominican.

"Increasingly, nurses are providing care in schools, neighborhoods, homes, and community clinical settings where they can address health challenges at the population level and work closely with individuals in their everyday environments."

Dominican's BSN offers a comprehensive community health curriculum in the senior year, specifically designed to equip students with the knowledge and practical experience necessary for effective public health practice.

"We are deeply grateful to By the Bay Health for this partnership and for investing in our students' futures," said Dr. Hoepper. "This scholarship not only provides substantial financial support but also offers students clinical experiences that reflect Dominican's commitment to developing clinically competent, community-focused, and public health-oriented nurses."

The scholarship honors the late Pat Kendall, a beloved member of the By the Bay Health community whose career embodied compassion and service. Through this partnership with Dominican University of California, the program builds on her legacy by supporting the next generation of nurses dedicated to caring for patients where they live.

About By the Bay Health
By the Bay Health is a progressive and innovative leader delivering home-based hospice, skilled home health care, palliative care, grief support, and pediatric care in all nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area. In January 2024, By the Bay Health merged with Mission Hospice & Home Care and Hope Hospice to extend services into South Bay and East Bay, becoming the largest independent nonprofit hospice organization in Northern California.

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