JAMES & SHIRLEY WADDELL/SWEDISHAMERICAN HEALTH SYSTEM SCHOLARSHIP | Jim & Shirley Waddell, Travis Andersen

Contact: Travis Andersen, UW Health Rockford, President & CEO
Contact: Jim and Shirley Waddell

Jim and Shirley began funding scholarships and grants in 1989 with the first scholarship being named for Jim’s parents. The Orville H. and Freda M. Waddell Scholarship at the University of Illinois is given annually to transferring students from statewide community colleges who are entering the field of Horticulture. Since that time, they have funded the Evelyn Abrahamson Memorial Scholarship in Nursing, the Ann Miller Waddell Memorial Scholarship in Nursing, the James and Shirley Waddell/SwedishAmerican Health System Scholarship and the James and Shirley Waddell/SwedishAmerican Medical Foundation Nursing Grant.

This is a shared scholarship with the SwedishAmerican Health System/Jim & Shirley Waddel in recognition of Jim Waddell’s 24 years of service on the health system’s Board of Directors and the continuing need for trained nurses in our community. From the early 1980’s through 2007, under the leadership of Dr. Bob Klint and Dr. Bill Gorski, the SwedishAmerican Health System went from a distant third place market share to being recognized as the best health system in the area.

Shirley and Jim Waddell are very grateful for, and proud of, the many Rock Valley College of Nursing graduates who have gone on to serve and assist so many people in our health systems and community.