RN to BSN Student Receives Nursing Scholarship

Courtney Dill, Linda Nelson, Lynn Friebel, Missy Compton, and Jackie Owens

Ashland University RN to BSN student Melissa (Missy) Compton recently received the Wanda June Humphrey Nursing Scholarship.  On December 23, Lynn Fribel, Director of the Shelby Foundation, presented the award to Missy on her unit at MedCentral Health System.  Missy holds the position of Clinical Leader of the Birthing Suite.  Courtney Dill, Nurse Manager of the perinatal unit, Linda Nelson, Director of Perinatal Services and Jackie Owen, Director of the RN to BSN program were present for the scholarship presentation.  Missy will graduate in May 2014 with a BSN and is exploring options for graduate eduction.

Ms. Friebel also shared the following information about Wanda June Humphrey and the Nursing Scholarship.  Wanda June Humphrey graduated from Shelby High School in 1942.  She went right into war work at the former Autocall plant.  In 1947, she started attending Mansfield General School of Nursing and graduated as a registered nurse in 1950.  Not long after she passed her state board exam, she signed up with the Navy.  She was never on a ship the entire six years.  She was a general nurse and often worked in dependents’ wards, which is where the families of service members were treated.  While at St. Alban’s Navy Hospital on Long Island, New York,  she decided six years was enough and came home to Shelby.  She went to work at Shelby Memorial Hospital as an operating nurse.  She wanted to work in the operating room since she started nursing school.  At Shelby, she got her wish and spent 26 years as an OR nurse.  “I really enjoyed nursing, it was hard work, but very rewarding and had a lot of fun” she said.  On December 31, 1983 she retired. Wanda has been blessed with opportunities and memories through her nursing career and wants to share her passion through granting continuing education scholarships for registered nurses. 

Applicants for the Wanda June Humphrey Nursing Scholarship must hold an active Registered Nurse license in the State of Ohio, reside in Richland County, and be employed while attending school.  The first scholarship was awarded in 2010.