The Cambia Health Foundation/Paula A. Jones Endowed Scholarship Fund aims to broaden diversity among health care workforce.
Following her recent retirement, Paula A. Jones was presented with a new endowed scholarship named in her honor from the Cambia Health Foundation. The dedication of the sponsorship recognizes her steadfast commitment to advancing equity, improving health outcomes and supporting whole-person health at every stage of life. Jones was instrumental in the formation and strategic direction of the Cambia Health Foundation and retired this year after serving with distinction on the board of directors for Cambia Health Solutions for the past 12 years.
To honor and thank Jones for her years of dedicated service, the Cambia Health Foundation established the Cambia Health Foundation/Paula A. Jones Endowed Scholarship Fund at the Oregon Community Foundation with an initial investment of $50,000. Going forward, the Oregon Community Foundation will use this fund to award one scholarship per year. The scholarship will go to a high school graduate in Oregon, Washington, Idaho or Utah to pursue post-secondary education in health care at a public or private nonprofit college or university in the United States.
“The purpose of the Cambia Health Foundation/Paula A. Jones Endowed Scholarship Fund of Oregon Community Foundation is to increase representation of people from different backgrounds in the health care workforce by supporting outstanding students from communities traditionally underrepresented in professional health care roles,” said Peggy Maguire, president of the Cambia Health Foundation. “I cannot think of a better way to honor Paula, who has been an outstanding advisor, mentor and supporter of the Foundation’s mission to advance equity through whole-person health.”
“Cambia Health Foundation would not be where it is today without Paula A. Jones’s guidance and expertise,” said Jared Short, chief executive officer of Cambia Health Solutions. "She's an incredible role model who lifts up the people around her. Paula has been a mentor to many at Cambia. Through the Cambia Health Foundation/Paula A. Jones Endowed Scholarship Fund of Oregon Community Foundation, we honor her incredible business career, vision and generous spirit."
Applications for the scholarship open in the Spring of 2023 for the following Fall term. The selection committee at the Oregon Community Foundation will include Jones and Maguire. Ideal candidates for this annual scholarship will demonstrate leadership skills, academic excellence, a commitment to community service and an interest in pursuing a career in health care.