Kim Kelley Memorial Nursing Scholarships Awarded

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

September 5, 2024

Salinas Valley Health Foundation Awards Kim Kelley Memorial Nursing Scholarships

Salinas, California; The Salinas Valley Health Foundation proudly announces the awardees of the 2025 Kim Kelley Memorial Nursing Scholarship. Named in memory of longtime Salinas Valley Health Emergency Department nurse, Kim Kelley, this scholarship provides financial assistance to nursing students at Hartnell College who have an interest in becoming an Emergency Department nurse and also meet designated scholarship criteria.

With generous contributions from the Kelley family, Salinas Valley Health employees, physicians, and the community, the endowment fund's earnings are dedicated to providing scholarships to nursing students at Hartnell College in perpetuity.

Maria Martinez and David Cryan, both outstanding students from Hartnell College’s Nursing Program, have been named the 2025 recipients of the Kim Kelley Memorial Scholarship.

Maria Martinez stated “Receiving this scholarship is not just a financial blessing, but a symbol of belief in my potential. I am truly grateful to the Salinas Valley Health Foundation and the Kelley Family for their generosity and support in helping me achieve my academic goals. Thank you for investing in my future, I truly appreciate it, from the bottom of my heart.”

David Cryan has had a dream to become a nurse since he had back surgery as a teenager and shared that the nurses that took care of him changed his life and inspired him.

David stated “Being awarded the Kim Kelley scholarship has changed my life in so many ways. For one, it helped my dream of completing Nursing school become much more financially attainable for me. Secondly, the scholarship will allow me to spend more time with my infant son. The hope that this scholarship has provided me with is priceless and I will be forever grateful to the Salinas Valley Health Foundation and the family of Kim Kelley.”

Salinas Valley Health congratulates this year’s scholarship recipients, and expresses profound gratitude to the Kim Kelley family for preserving Kim's legacy in this meaningful way. They also extend their appreciation to all donors, ensuring the scholarship’s continued success.

About Salinas Valley Health Foundation

Salinas Valley Health Foundation helps the Salinas Valley community create a great hospital and health system. Philanthropic support helps to advance state-of-the-art healthcare by supporting our hospital staff and doctors with what’s truly needed to care for people and create a healthier future for all. The Salinas Valley Health Foundation is fortunate to have a dedicated, diverse, and engaged Board of Governors who care deeply about the health of our community. Working side by side with our Foundation staff, the doctors, nurses, administrators, business owners, and community leaders who make up our board help set funding priorities, organize events, and engage our community to philanthropically support the mission of Salinas Valley Health.

About the Kim Kelley Memorial Nursing Scholarship Endowment Fund:

The Salinas Valley Health family unexpectedly lost a beloved colleague in March of 2021. Kim Kelley was a nurse in the Emergency Department for 15 years, and also served as a nurse preceptor. Kim’s family generously created an endowment fund in her memory, with the earnings dedicated to providing scholarships for nursing students at Hartnell College. Thank you to Kim’s family for continuing her legacy and helping support future nurses in her memory for years to come.