The Academic Assistance Program dedicates funding assistance for selected students to help them 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:

1. Be pursing education in one of the following healthcare careers: pharmacist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech therapist
   
2. Have a current G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
3. 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.
4. Be willing to be interviewed as part of the award determination process within fourteen days.

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

1. Submit a completed application to the Washington County Health System Human Resource Development Department on or before July 15, 2009.
2. Be currently enrolled in a professional program at an accredited degree-granting college or university.  (*Accreditation as granted by the Middle State Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools)

To remain eligible to continue to receive assistance, the recipient

1. must maintain, at minimum, an active part-time status at the college or university;
2. must maintain a minimum 3.0 G.P.A. on a 4.0 scale for the funding year;
3. must maintain pursuit of the degree/course of study approved when the assistance was originally awarded.

Preference will be given to applicants who have permanent residence within the Washington County Health System, Inc., service area.

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

Awards:  The amount of money awarded to an individual will be determined by the Academic Assistance Committee but will not exceed the actual amount of loans the student has accrued; if they have no outstanding loans or the actual amount of their current tuition minus any tuition assistance realized or pending or a combination of the above.

Service Credit Agreement:  Each award recipient will be required to sign a Service Credit Agreement with Washington County Health System. The length of the Service Credit Agreement will be one year of full-time service for every $5,000 awarded.
Example:  $4,999 awarded = 1 year service
                   $5,001 awarded = 2 year service

One year of service is equivalent to 2,080 hours of service.

IMPORTANT!  It is expected that the recipient will honor the Service Credit Agreement made with the organization, but in the event that the recipient does not stay with or become employed by Washington County Health System, the recipient will return, the same amount of money received for assistance, plus interest to the health system.  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 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 Assistance Program participant stops attending school before graduating, the first payment due on the note will be the first month that would have ended the last semester attended.

In the event that the Academic Assistance Program participant graduates and is not hired by Washington County Health System,

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

B) the first payment will be due the first of the seventh month following the graduation date;

C) if the participant becomes employed at the health system, 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 within three weeks after acceptance of the award provided the student has submitted official school transcripts and loan or tuition information to the health system’s Education Center.

It is the recipient’s responsibility to notify Washington County Health Systems, of any change in financial status such as other financial assistance received as well as changes in course of study or any other change that may impact their eligibility under this program.  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. 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 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 was denied.
• Applicants chosen will be sent a notice indicating their application was accepted with instructions on how to claim their award.
• If accepted for assistance, the applicant must complete and return the required paperwork for acceptance of the assistance within thirty days of receipt.   

           
Applications and correspondence regarding the Academic Assistance Program must be addressed and returned to:
                                    Washington County Health System
                                    Academic Assistance Program
                                    Education Center                     
                                    251 E. Antietam Street
                                    Hagerstown, MD 21740

Completed applications must be received by July 15, 2009.

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.