Trinity Health Foundation receives $50,000 Donation from Ascentra Credit Union

Ascentra Credit Union donated $50,000 to the Trinity Health Foundation to support its Career Pathways Pilot Program. This program combines outreach and navigation to help students currently enrolled in a traditional Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) program through a newly created career navigator position.

“The need for a position such as a career navigator is higher than it’s ever been,” said Mary Macumber Schmidt, President, Trinity Health Foundation. “The current and future need for qualified healthcare staff far exceeds the number of individuals who have the required certifications and education.”

Although there are existing programs in place to assist with tuition and other expenses such as childcare and transportation, many feel they are unable to give up their existing job for up to 24 months, the typical time it takes to complete a traditional medical certification program and still make ends meet. “This is a critical roadblock for people with a passion to pursue a career in healthcare,” said Macumber Schmidt.

This career navigator position will play a crucial role in helping students understand all the support and assistance available to them, whether for education, stipends/supplemental income or barrier assistance, or in registering for courses and assessing many career path options.

“Ascentra is excited to support the Trinity Health Foundation through this donation,” said Linda Andry, President and CEO, Ascentra Credit Union. “A robust healthcare system is important to the health of our community and helping this foundation proactively prepare for the future healthcare needs of our area aligns perfectly with the mission of Ascentra and the credit union philosophy of people helping people.”

The Trinity career navigator will guide individuals in the Quad Cities Pathways Pilot Program.  Their goal will be to link candidates to needed support and programs to help them through their educational journey in healthcare, hoping to eliminate many of the barriers to keep students from dropping out of the program and allow them to successfully complete all coursework to pass certification programs.

This $50,000 donation will be distributed to the Trinity Health Foundation over the next two years through $25,000 increments and will help support the cost of the career navigator in the Quad Cities.

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Photo Caption:

Members of Ascentra’s strategic team present the Trinity Health Foundation with a $50,000 donation at UnityPoint Health – Bettendorf Campus on March 1, 2024. The contribution will help the foundation establish a Career Navigator position aimed at assisting students pursuing careers in healthcare by eliminating barriers keeping them from completing their programs.  Those shown in the photo are (left to right): Jennifer Naeve, SVP and CMO, Ascentra Credit Union; Yvette Work, Student Program Coordinator, UnityPoint Health - Trinity; Stacy Demarest, MSN, MHA, RN, Director of Inpatient Nursing, UnityPoint Health - Trinity; Christian Marcussen, CTIO, Ascentra Credit Union; Dan Sterner, MSN, RN, Emergency Services Director, UnityPoint Health - Trinity; Kirby Vyncke-Hughes, Executive Director of Human Resources, UnityPoint Health - Trinity; Mary Macumber Schmidt, President, Trinity Health Foundation; Linda Andry, President and CEO, Ascentra Credit Union; Larry Ridenour, Vice-Chairperson of the Board, Ascentra Credit Union; Tom Gibbs, Chairperson of the Board, Ascentra Credit Union; Shelly Ridgeway, EVP and COO, Ascentra Credit Union; Aaron Conner, SVP Operations, Ascentra Credit Union and Beth Grabin, CFO, Ascentra Credit Union.

About Ascentra:
Founded in 1950, Ascentra Credit Union is Iowa's premier credit union with more than $534 million in assets and nine branches serving the communities of Bettendorf, Clinton, Davenport, and Muscatine, Iowa and Moline, Illinois. Learn more about Ascentra Credit Union at ascentra.org.  Follow Ascentra on Facebook (@ascentra), Instagram (@ascentracu), TikTok (@ascentra)and on the Ascentra Credit Union YouTube channel. 

About Trinity Health Foundation