Two Great Basin College students will continue their education at the University of Nevada, Reno as recipients of the Rural Nevada Behavioral Health Workforce Development Scholarship.
Gina Sherwood of Elko and John Headley of Las Vegas both overcame great challenges in their lives to get to this point in their academic careers while sharing a desire to help others.
“I chose the social work field because I see all of the inequities in this world and I would like to make a difference,” said Gina. She added, “I also have a son with Major Depressive Disorder and I have spent many years educating myself on mental health issues. I am a strong advocate for breaking the stigma and silence that goes hand in hand with this disease.”
John suffered a broken neck and traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car while crossing a Las Vegas street back in 2003. “After spending three months in a coma I went to a rehabilitation facility where I had to relearn to walk and talk which took about two years.” His personal disability has not slowed him down in the least. “I am a full-time substance abuse counselor and have been in the non-profit field since I began. I will continue to help this population because of the empathy and compassion I feel for my clients.”
The Rural Nevada Behavioral Health Workforce Development Scholarship is sponsored by Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital and awarded to qualifying students who maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, are accepted to UNR for their final year of the BSW program and have a passion to serve their community.
Steve Simpson, Chief Executive Officer for NNRH, said, “At Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, our mission is making communities healthier. We are thrilled to support both these students as they pursue degrees in social work. We understand the vital role social workers play in the health of a community, and we commend Gina and John for their commitment to helping others.”
A partnership between GBC and UNR, the unique 3+1 Bachelor of Social Work degree program provides students with an Associate of Arts degree by the end of their fourth semester and a bachelor’s degree after completing their final 30 credits at UNR. The program offers amazing flexibility as UNR Social Work courses are delivered in an online and hybrid format to students in their GBC service area with some travel to Reno required.
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