OLEAN, N.Y. — The nursing recruitment and retention committee at Olean General Hospital (OGH), a Kaleida Health facility, recently awarded a $750 nursing scholarships to Kami Carpenter, Mikayla Keis and Abbie Kohler.

They are current OGH employees who plan to attend a registered nurse (RN) program or are currently enrolled in a nursing program.

Through various fundraising activities throughout the year, the OGH nursing recruitment and retention committee is able to present this scholarship annually. Applicants must be current OGH employees in good standing and be enrolled in, or enrolling in, a nursing program.

“I earned my CNA certification while I was in high school and began volunteering for my local fire department. I received my EMT and paramedic certification over the last few years,” said Abbie Kohler, an emergency department (ED) technician at OGH. “After seeing how great the care in the ED was when taking my patients there, I knew I wanted to become a part of that, a place where I could help treat patients and where my community would benefit from it.” Kohler, a resident of Olean, is currently pursuing a career in nursing at JCC, expecting to graduate in 2026 as well.

“I am thrilled to recognize Kami, Mikayla and Abbie for their dedication to health care in our community and their commitment to pursuing nursing careers,” said Jennifer Ruggles, chief nursing officer, OGH and BRMC. “These scholarships help us invest in talented individuals who already contribute to excellent patient care here at OGH, and I know they will make outstanding nurses in the future.”