Copper Mountain College Foundation is pleased to accept the Martie Avels Scholarship from the Hi-Desert Memorial Health Care District Foundation. This Scholarship once funded a single RN student’s college education but now will be expanded to assist multiple nursing students at all levels.
Twentynine Palms resident Martie Avels is a former emergency room nurse and Interim Chief Executive Officer at Hi-Desert Medical Center. Avels has a long history of service in the community and believes, “The hospital and the college have worked closely for years to prepare our nurses for service in the Morongo Basin, and that is not going to change.” At a recent luncheon at the College, Martie reminded guests that our community committed years ago to grow our own nurses, to supply our local hospital with nurses who live, work and play here. The partnership between the hospital and the College has been very successful.
Under the CMC Foundation, the Scholarship will address the most pressing needs of CMC’s health science students. One piece of this Scholarship will assist all of the college’s students with their ATI testing. ATI offers a wide variety of NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) preparation assessments during nursing school. These assessments not only prepare students for the NCLEX, but they also help them gain critical thinking skills and a comprehensive nursing knowledge base needed to be a great nurse. The results have been astonishing for VN students who utilize ATI testing. The NCLEX first time pass rate for CMC VN students has been 100% for the past three years, up from 78% the year prior to funding the testing. The Martie Avels Health Science Scholarship will continue that support in the amount of $6,000 annually for ten VN students at Copper Mountain College.
If you are interested in making a donation, in her honor, to the scholarship fund contact the Foundation at 760-366-3791 ext. 4200 or online at cmccd.edu/Foundation.