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TRC Foundation awards scholarships Sherri Eccles wants to be an Occupational Therapist; Dana Vollentine wants to be a nurse. And TRC Foundation is going to help them achieve their goals.  Dana and Sherri were chosen as the 2007 recipients of TRC Foundation's scholarships. Each will receive $2,000 to help cover school-related expenses during the 2007-08 academic year.Sherri has worked for The Resource Center since 1996, initially as a Community Living Specialist and then a Recreation Assistant at the Intermediate Care Facility on Foote Avenue. After obtaining her associate's degree from Jamestown Community College's Certfied Occupational Therapy Assistant program, Sherri became a COTA five years ago. Dana Vollentine, left, and Sherri Eccles pose with Michael Felice, left, the Chair of TRC Foundation's Board of Directors, and Paul Cesana, TRC Foundation President and The Resource Center's Executive Director. She has enjoyed that experience so much that she decided to pursue a master of science degree in occupational therapy through a degree program offered cooperatively by JCC and Utica College. "Occupational therapy is based on looking at the person as a whole, rather than focusing on a single aspect. You look at the person's entire life," said Sherri. She will take some prerequisite courses this school year before formally entering the master's program in 2008. After completing the three-year program, she hopes to continue working at TRC. Sherri is active with the American Red Cross, the Girl Scouts and Lucille Ball Little Theatre. Dana has worked at TRC since 2001 as a CLS and a Supported Living Specialist. She currently is a third-shift CLS at the Individualized Residential Alternative on Birchwood Drive in Fredonia, a schedule that will make it easier for her to continue working while going to school to get her associate's degree in applied science through JCC's Nursing Program. An accomplished musician, Dana has a degree in music education but decided she wanted to become a nurse in order to better serve individuals with disabilities. She is active in her church orchestra and has been involved with events such as Hunter's Hope and the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. TRC Foundation's Board of Directors established the scholarship program in 2002 to assist employees interested in pursuing college or graduate degrees. At the time, many employees indicated that lack of financial resources was one of the major barriers preventing employees from furthering their education. "It's really wonderful that TRC Foundation supports our mission by assisting staff in pursuit of higher education," said Carol Svensen-Smith, The Resource Center's Director of Personnel Administration. Comments
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