The Academic Assistance Program helps selected students further their career interests by offering tuition assistance in exchange for a future payback in terms of service or money.

To be considered for tuition assistance under this program, the individual applicant must meet the following guidelines:

• Be pursuing education in one of the following healthcare careers: registered nurse, physical therapist, ultrasonographer, mammography tech, pharmacist, nuclear medicine technologist, or surgical tech.

• Be completing his or her final year of high school or be a high school graduate (or equivalent).

• Have a current G.P.A. of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (high school or a minimum of 24 hours of college credit minimum required.)

• Be willing to sign a “service credit agreement” detailing how much service could be owed to the organization and be willing to sign a Promissory Note detailing how much money could be owed to the organization in the event the service credit agreement is not executed.

• Participate in an interview as part of the award determination process within 30 days of having been notified of such.

To apply for the Academic Assistance Program, the individual must meet the following deadlines:

• Submit a completed application, plus attachments, to the Washington County Health System human resource development department between January 1st and March 31st of the year proceeding the fall semester in which the individual wishes to begin receiving funding.

Note: Any incomplete applications received will be ineligible for consideration of awards. (The organization is not responsible for applications or transcripts not received.)

• Be accepted for admission at an accredited*, degree-granting college or university by June 1st. (*Accreditation as granted by the Middle State Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.)

To remain eligible to continue to receive assistance, the recipient must

• Maintain, at minimum, an active part-time status at the college or university.

• Maintain a minimum 3.0 G.P.A. on a 4.0 scale for the funding year.

• Maintain pursuit of the degree/course of study approved when the assistance was originally awarded.

Preference will be given to applicants who:

• Have permanently resided within the Washington County Health System, Inc., service area.

• Have received assistance for the previous semester(s).

• Are an employee or dependent of an employee of the Washington County Health System, Inc.

***All eligible applicants are not guaranteed assistance through this program. ***

Awards:  The amount of money awarded to an individual will not exceed the annual tuition required of that student by the school.  In addition, the amount of money awarded will also not exceed the annual award limit of $4,000 per year unless a special funding request is made at the time of application and subsequently granted by the committee reviewing the applications.

Service Credit Agreement:  Each award recipient will be required to sign a service credit agreement with the Washington County Health System, Inc.  The length of the service credit agreement will be determined on a “year for year” basis.  For every year of tuition assistance given, the recipient will owe one year of service.  For the purpose of this policy, the following definitions apply:

One year of service – equivalent to 2,080 hours of service
One year of school – equivalent to/or greater than 24 credit hours

Recipients attending school on a part-time basis may be eligible for a service credit agreement that is prorated based on the actual number of credit hours taken within the year.

IMPORTANT!  It is expected that the recipient will honor the service credit agreement made with the organization in the event that the recipient does not stay with or become employed by Washington County Health System, Inc., the recipient will repay to the health system the same amount of money received for assistance, plus interest.  It is possible that Washington County Health System will not hire an individual who has received this award.  In cases such as this the award recipient will be required to pay back to the health system the amount of money given to them.

While satisfying the service credit agreement the recipient is subject to all policies, rules and regulations of the organization. If the recipient separates from his/her employment with the organization for any reason while working to fulfill the service credit agreement, the balance, calculated in dollars, will become due to the organization.  If the recipient wishes to pay the amount due over time, the balance will be subject to an interest rate as indicated in the promissory note.  The principal and accrued interest, in cash, will be expected according to a predetermined schedule.

In the event that the Academic Assistant Program participant stops attending school before they graduate, the first payment will be due during the last month of the most recent semester attended.

In the event that the Academic Assistant Program participant graduates and is not hired by Washington County Health System, Inc.:

A) The note will be written to coincide with the service payback.

B) The first payment will be due the 1st of the month on the 7th month following graduation.

C) If the participant becomes employed at Washington County Health System, Inc., after the payback period 
Has begun, then service payback would begin based on the term yet due on the note.

Provisions of Assistance:  Money will be made available to recipients at the beginning of the semester upon submission of a tuition statement or bill from the school. Checks will be made payable jointly to the student and school. No checks will be made payable directly to the student.

It is the recipient’s responsibility to notify Washington County Health System, Inc., of any change in financial status such as other financial assistance received as well as changes in his/her course of study or any other change that may impact eligibility under this program.

A recipient will not be given money to cover costs associated with repeating a course.

A recipient receiving other financial aid will not be eligible for duplicate benefits under this program.

Application Process:  Requests for applications will be received between January 1 and March 31 of each year for assistance beginning in the fall of that same year. Completed applications must be postmarked by March 31 to be eligible for consideration. Incomplete applications or applications received after the stated deadline will not be considered. 

• All applications will be coded and the names will be removed. 
• A committee will review applications according to predetermined criteria.
• Selected applicants will be invited to participate in an interview. Applicants not chosen to participate in the interview process will be sent a notice indicating that their application for assistance was denied.
• After the completion of the interviews, the committee will review the applications and interview notes and select award recipients.
• Applicants not chosen will be sent a notice indicating their application for assistance that was denied.
• Applicant’s chosen will be sent a notice indicating their application was accepted. The note will include instructions on how to claim their award.
• If chosen for assistance, complete and return the required paperwork within 15 days of receipt to indicate your acceptance of the assistance.

Applications and correspondence regarding the Academic Assistance Program must be send to:
                                    Washington County Health System, Inc.
                                    Academic Assistance Program
                                    Jack and Anna Hershey Education Center                     
                                    251 E. Antietam Street
                                    Hagerstown, MD 21740

Application Deadline: March 31, 2007.

Requests for exceptions must be submitted in writing to the director of human resource development.

Click here to proceed to the online academic assistance form.