Three Presbyterian SeniorCare Network Team Members Honored with LeadingAge PA Professional Development Scholarships

OAKMONT, Pa. (June 2022) – Presbyterian SeniorCare Network is pleased to announce that three of its team members have been awarded professional development scholarships from LeadingAge PA, the Pennsylvania association of aging services providers.

LeadingAge PA scholarships support staff members who are pursuing further education, training, and certification, both within and outside of the field of nursing. The three recipients are Jihan McCullum, Brittney Sarnese and Erika Slusar.  

Jihan McCullum plans to use her scholarship to continue her nursing studies to move from being a licensed practical nurse to a registered nurse. She began her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and is now a co-instructor of the CNA class program at Manchester Commons, helping aspiring students who are starting their careers just as she did. She attends Mercyhurst College and will graduate in May 2023.  

“Manchester has provided me with so many outlets on achieving my goals in not only my career path, but in life,” Jihan said. “Being chosen for the scholarship has now given me another outlet for continued education in the LPN to RN bridge program. I am extremely proud to say I work at Manchester.”

Brittney Sarnese plans to use her scholarship to continue her studies at Carlow University, where she is pursuing a master of business administration with a specialization in leadership and management. Her goals are to ensure that residents of The Willows continue to receive high-quality care and to create a better workplace through strong leadership and organization.

“Our team members are an essential part of this care. I believe that by fostering better relationships and providing more support to our team members, they will be more fulfilled, engaged, and committed, thus, improving the care they give,” Brittney said.

Brittney said her long-term goal is to enhance aging services through process improvement and special projects, using the knowledge and skills that the master’s program at Carlow will provide.

Erika Slusar plans to use her scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in healthcare administration and management at Point Park University. She began working as a casual Licensed Practical Nurse and now is the Nurse Assessment Coordinator for Personal Care at Longwood at Oakmont.

“I have worked with the geriatric population for the past 12 years and at Longwood for the last 8 years,” Erika said. “I love my job and the many opportunities for continuing education that this company has provided me. I hope with completion of my degree, I will be able to open additional doors to continue advancing my career in the healthcare industry.”

Jim Pieffer, president and CEO of Presbyterian SeniorCare Network, said the Network is pleased to support the professional development goals of its team members.

“We are committed to providing continuing education and professional development for our valued team members at all levels,” Jim said. “Through professional growth, we increase our capacity as a Network to fulfill our mission of making aging easier. We congratulate Jihan, Brittney, and Erika on their scholarship awards, and wish them much success as they find new and greater ways to serve our residents with dignity and purpose.”

Jim also serves as chair of the LeadingAge PA Board of Directors. The LeadingAge PA Professional Development Scholarship program is part of the association’s ongoing efforts to address the workforce challenges faced by its members. The scholarship benefits member staff who are pursuing further education, training, and certification — both within and outside the field of nursing. This year, LeadingAge PA awarded 33 scholarships totaling $40,000 to members through the 2022 Professional Development Scholarship program.

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About Presbyterian SeniorCare Network

For more than 90 years, Presbyterian SeniorCare Network has been focused on Making Aging Easier ® for older adults and their families. The nonprofit, faith-based organization serves more than 6,500 older adults through in-home and community-based programs across 11 Western Pennsylvania counties. To learn more, please visit www.SrCare.org.

About LeadingAge PA

LeadingAge PA is a trade association representing more than 380 high-quality senior housing, health care, and community services across the commonwealth. These providers serve more than 75,000 older Pennsylvanians and employ over 50,000 dedicated caregivers daily. For more information about LeadingAge PA and our envisioned future of senior services, visit www.LeadingAgePA.org.