Picture from left: Sarah Kim, SLCC RN student; Caroline Porter, SLCC PN student; Jason Hitt, SLCC RN student; Rebecca Benoit, LGH Vice President - Chief Nursing Officer; David Callecod, LGH CEO and President; Dr. Natalie Harder, SLCC Chancellor; Dr. Rebecca Harris-Smith, SLCC Dean of Nursing and Allied Health; GraciAna Breaux, 2017 LGMC Endowed Professorship recipient and SLCC Nursing Instructor; Lana Fontenot, Associate Vice Chancellor of Institutional Advancement; and Jude Sittig, Elder Outreach Chief Operations Officer.
The South Louisiana Community College Foundation honored Lafayette General Health as its 2017 Benefactor of the Year during a ceremony this morning at the college’s Lafayette Campus.
Each year, the SLCC Foundation honors a partner whose contributions support initiatives that impact student success, capital campaigns, or other initiatives at the college. LGH is the second Acadiana company to be recognized by the SLCC Foundation with this annual award. Last year, Elder Outreach was honored.
“Lafayette General Health has always been a strong supporter of our students and our academic programs. This award reflects this long-term support and shows our gratitude for their continuing partnership,” said Lana Fontenot, executive director of the SLCC Foundation and associate vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement.
The college’s partnership with LGH includes the creation of the college’s Registered Nursing program in 2014. The hospital system was one of four partners who contributed financially to establish the program and address workforce needs in the regional healthcare industry. This Spring, SLCC will graduate its third cohort of registered nurses.
LGH partners with the college’s Nursing and Allied Health division as well for clinical rotations. SLCC students participate in clinical rotations at several of LGH’s hospitals throughout Acadiana. Many of these students are hired by LGH upon graduation.
“As the demand for healthcare continues to rise, so does the need for registered nurses,” said David L. Callecod, FACHE, president of Lafayette General Health. “Lafayette General is committed to partnering with SLCC to meet its goal of graduating more RNs as it directly aligns with our mission to restore, maintain and improve health. We are honored to receive an award that recognizes our continued investment in future healthcare providers.”
LGH also supports college faculty and students through endowments. The hospital system established the RN Endowed Professorship for a nursing faculty member and the Heart of Nursing Endowed Scholarship for a nursing student. Both of these donations were matched with state funds to create endowments that live on in perpetuity.
In addition, LGH invested in the college’s Health and Sciences building with a naming opportunity. The Lafayette General Health Experimental Learning Lab is a 10-bed nursing lab that supports the college’s allied health and nursing programs.
The hospital system also partnered with the college on a number of grant opportunities including a recent USDA telemedicine grant. Two LGH representatives have also served on the SLCC Foundation Board.
“The support from LGH on all of these initiatives is second-to-none in terms of partnerships,” said Fontenot. “From our students, to our faculty, and our facilities, the hospital system is ready with support.”
LGH is Acadiana’s largest non-profit, community-owned regional health system committed to always delivering excellence. The system has over 4,000 employees, serving the south-central region of Louisiana by aligning with facilities across Acadiana. LGH is a founding member of the Ochsner Health Network.
With Lafayette General Medical Center (LGMC) as the flagship hospital, LGH also owns or manages Lafayette General Southwest, Lafayette General Surgical Hospital, St. Martin Hospital, University Hospital & Clinics (UHC), Acadia General Hospital and Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital.
The SLCC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization for the purpose of engaging in educational, scientific, literary, benevolent, and charitable works in support exclusively for SLCC’s eight campuses. The Foundation secures and manages unrestricted and restricted assets to continually support and enrich the academic and scholarship programs at the college. The Foundation is managed by a 21-member board of directors.
###