Debra Crumbliss Lewis always knew she wanted to be a nurse. KCKCC was not only a convenient option, but it was close to home and cost effective. KCKCC made such an impact on Lewis that she and her husband Jim established an endowed and direct scholarship, the Lewis Family Nursing Scholarship, to benefit KCKCC nursing students.
“KCKCC provided a solid platform to support my long-term goals and allowed me to be flexible and diverse in my career choices and locations,” she said. “The flexibility was also beneficial to raising our two children. The nursing degree I received from KCKCC allowed me to provide for myself and my family, while performing a job that I love.”
Lewis said it was not a difficult decision to create the scholarship. She said both her and her husband were lucky enough to go to college during a time where it was not as costly. Being able to provide similar opportunities for students is important to both of them.
“We were very fortunate to complete degrees that provided successful and rewarding careers. We also felt the pandemic emphasized the need for more nursing professionals for current and future challenges,” she said. “We decided to provide an endowed scholarship because it provides scholarships yearly forever.”
After earning her associates degree, Lewis earned a bachelor of science in nursing from Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colo., and then attended the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nurse Education Program. She worked in a variety of capacities in both nursing, training and technical support up until her retirement in October 2020.
Nursing
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