Kem Nursing Scholarship

Evelyn and Phillip Kem are what most people would describe as “honest, hard—working people.” They both come from farming backgrounds and have continued that lifestyle on their dairy farm in the small town of LaFountaine, Ind. While Phillip keeps himself busy milking cows, his wife works as a secretary at the Dana Corporation near their home. They are both active in the Baptist Church, where she plays the organ and he leads in singing.

The Kems first heard of Goshen College through their nephew, Fred, who is currently a GC student. While Fred has contributed to the college through his talent as a cross country runner, he has also expressed to his aunt and uncle how much he has received in return from his positive experiences at Goshen. Fred’s report, as well as the college’s recent national recognition, impressed upon the Kems that Goshen College indeed offers a high quality education.

After they received a generous inheritance from Evelyn’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wiliam B. Wilson, the Kems decided they would tithe this money toward a scholarship fund at Goshen. They have no children and thus consider Fred to be like one of their own. His good feelings about Goshen College are important to them. Because the Kems have no college bills to pay, they wanted to share their financial blessing with those students who need assistance.

This couple chose to establish a nursing scholarship because they believe in the importance of nursing as a profession. They have often heard Fred talk about the good rapport of the nursing department at Goshen College, as well as the financial struggles that many student nurses face in completing their degrees. Their wish is that this scholarship will not only contribute to the quality of the college as a whole, but also be used to make the high call of nursing a reachable goal for those who seek it.