Sutter Health Announces $4 million Scholarship Program

Sacramento, CA, April 2, 2003 - As part of its efforts to become the model "Employer of Choice," Sutter Health announced today that it has created a $4 million fund for a competitive scholarship program available to the children of employees within its not-for-profit network of community-based hospitals and physician organizations. Children and grandchildren of the 38,000 people who work across the network may apply for a grant from Sutter Scholars by June 30, and the first recipients of annual awards between $1,500 and $6,000 will be announced in August.

Sutter Scholars is established at a time when students and their families can expect to pay, on average, about $127 to $1,001 more in college tuition and fees than they did in 2002, according to recent reports from the College Board.

"College costs are up about 6 to 10 percent from last year depending on the type of institution a student selects," said Sutter Health President and CEO Van R. Johnson. "We wanted to do what we could to support students who otherwise might not be able to attend college, and providing our employees with this special opportunity seemed like the best place to start," he said.

Sutter leaders also view the scholarship fund as one more way to positively impact the communities its hospitals and physicians serve.

"These students are our future leaders, businesspeople and care givers. I couldn't be happier about providing a program that supports their education now and enhances our communities in the long run," said Johnson. "It's the right thing to do."

Sutter Health is one of the nation's leading not-for-profit networks of community-based health care providers, delivering high-quality care in more than 100 Northern California communities. It is also the regional leader in infant deliveries, neonatology, orthopedics and pediatrics services. Sutter Health supports more than two dozen locally run acute care hospitals as well as physician organizations; medical research facilities; regionwide home health, hospice and occupational health networks; and long-term care centers.

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Sutter Health employees seeking applications or more information about Sutter Scholars should visit their local affiliate Human Resources Department or can access the informaton through SutterLink, Sutter Health's Intranet.