Jonnie York Nursing Fellowship
Jonnie York, RN, worked as a public health nurse with Stanislaus County in the Child Health and Disease Prevention Department for over 20 years. Before retiring, she coordinated the county’s Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program. For most of her career, Jonnie has focused on her community. She has taken roles in in-home and public health nursing and helped people with unmet needs find health and wellness in our county. In addition, she has served her community through her local church as a missions and outreach president, targeting the needs of the homeless, creating flu shot clinics for low or no cost, and building schools and rehabilitation facilities. Jonnie earned her BS in nursing from Point Loma University in San Diego and engages with nursing students as a mentor, paying forward her expertise. She has also provided her knowledge and experience to others by serving as a founding board member for Legacy Health Endowment and the First Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center.
The Jonnie York Nursing Scholarship: The York Fellows
The Jonnie York Nursing Scholarship: The York Fellows was created to honor Jonnie York, RN, a former board member of Legacy Health Endowment and retired public health nurse for Stanislaus County. Her contributions across the Central Valley are indicative of the hard work and dedication nurses provide. Her leadership and servant’s heart for community wellness have helped close the gap in public healthcare, bringing community wellness to as many people as possible.
Jonnie is recognized for her 20-plus years of commitment to public health and, more importantly, for her years of service on the Legacy Health Endowment board. She is the gold standard in nursing. The scholarship program will draw on the dedication and hard work found in the hearts of students who, like Jonnie, are committed to being part of the community.
This fellowship program will allow Legacy Health Endowment to educate local students who want to obtain a degree in nursing and stay and work in our community. The fellowship will cover full tuition, books, and equipment up to $60,000. LHE will assist local students from the 19 Zip codes who have been accepted into an accredited Bachelor of Science Nursing Program or accredited Accelerated Bachelor of Science Nursing program (ABSN).
Upon completing their studies, graduates must return to work as nurses for two years at a nonprofit or for-profit entity within the communities the Legacy Health Endowment serves.
Our goal is to rebuild the Central Valley's nursing infrastructure with individuals who grew up in the region and would be more inclined to live and work in the Central Valley, ensuring that all its residents can access quality registered nursing services provided by culturally appropriate trained professionals. The hope is that every local ethnic group will have students who want to become a York Fellow.