Lorene Newberry
A former clinical nurse specialist with WellStar Kennestone Hospital Emergency Services, Lorene Newberry was instrumental in developing WellStar Kennestone as a trauma center in 1987. Her contributions to emergency care within the WellStar Health System were so significant that she was presented WellStar’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2004. Having decided at a young age that she wanted to be a nurse, Ms. Newberry began her career as a hospital volunteer in high school and went on to earn her Bachelor of Nursing degree from Emory University and a Master of Nursing at Georgia State University. According to former Senior Vice President of Nursing, Tarey Ray, “Lorene was considered top in her field.” It was her dedication to the nursing profession that, in 2006, inspired an academic scholarship be created in her memory known as The Lorene Newberry Memorial Scholarship.
Impact
The Lorene Newberry Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a WellStar employee enrolled in a baccalaureate degree nursing program who is entering his/her junior year. Special consideration is given to applicants who demonstrate an interest in nursing research, education, publishing and/or emergency care. The recipient of this scholarship receives funding to help offset the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies, educational equipment and other costs related to the applicant’s pursuit of a degree in the nursing profession. Increasing the supply of qualified nursing professionals within the WellStar community is the primary purpose and impact of awarding the Lorene Newberry Memorial Scholarship.