Lackawanna College announces partnership to offer tuition-free education to employees of local non-profit health system

Lackawanna College announced a new partnership that will allow employees at one of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s largest non-profit healthcare systems to attend college tuition-free.

Under the agreement, eligible employees at Allied Services Integrated Health System can pursue a bachelor’s or an associate degree at Lackawanna College. Full-time and part-time employees at Allied Services will be eligible for the Lackawanna College Business Partners Scholarship which covers tuition for the Fall and Spring semesters.

“The need for trained healthcare professionals in our area continues to grow,” stated Dr. Jill Murray, Lackawanna College President. “Our evolving partnership with Allied Services enhances the quality of our area’s healthcare services by filling in-demand positions with a skilled workforce. Opportunities like this make college affordable and accessible – a great equalizer for families and our communities.”

This latest partnership enhances Allied Services existing tuition assistance and tuition reimbursement programs for employees. In 2021, Allied Services and Lackawanna College announced a new nursing scholarship to provide full tuition for eligible students in Lackawanna College’s nursing associate degree program. Students awarded these scholarships can work at Allied Services while continuing their education and be guaranteed a full-time position upon graduation and licensure as a registered nurse. In addition, Allied Services offers its own scholarship and tuition assistance programs to support a diverse workforce that includes mental health workers, mechanics, therapists, accountants, nutritionists, social workers, and many more.

“As a leading employer in northeast and central Pennsylvania, we recognize the importance and value of investing in our employees, their families, and their futures,” said Attorney Bill Conaboy, President and CEO. “Our employees are at the heart of all we do for our patients, our residents, and our communities. We look forward to supporting them as they pursue their personal and professional goals. ”

The public-private partnership is one of many that are in the works at Lackawanna College that will cover a student’s full tuition.

“The Lackawanna College Business Partnership Scholarship Initiative helps businesses of all sizes develop and retain employees,” said Jeff Gregory, Director of College Enrollment Partnerships. “A partnership with Lackawanna College includes a tuition scholarship that can be offered to employees, allowing the workforce to pursue a bachelor’s or associate degree.”

About Allied Services:
Allied Services is the leading provider of healthcare and human services for northeastern Pennsylvanians with disabilities and chronic illness. For more than 60 years, the non-profit health system has worked to advance the health, independence and life quality of individuals in the region. Allied Services and its employees currently serve more than 5,000 individuals in homes and facilities across Northeast and Central Pennsylvania each day. Its continuum of care includes home health, skilled nursing, in-home care, inpatient rehab, transitional rehab, outpatient rehab, hospice and palliative care, behavioral health programs, and residential and vocational programs for individuals with disabilities.

About Lackawanna College: Founded in 1894, Lackawanna College is a private, accredited college serving the people of northeastern Pennsylvania. With the main campus situated in downtown Scranton, Lackawanna’s expanding footprint also includes satellite centers in Hawley, Hazleton, Sunbury, Towanda, Tunkhannock, and the Environmental Education Center in Covington Township. Learn more at www.lackawanna.edu.

About the Lackawanna College Business Partners Scholarship

The program is open to all Allied Services employees who meet the minimum criteria:

• Must be a full or part-time benefit-eligible employee.
• Must be actively employed by Allied Services at the beginning and end of the semester.
• Must be enrolled in a bachelor’s or associate degree at Lackawanna College’s main campus, online or one of five satellite centers.
• Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Must maintain a minimum Grade Point Average of 2.5 or better for the semester.

Scholarships will be awarded in Fall and/or Spring Semesters only. Discounted sessions (Winter and Summer) are not eligible. The Lackawanna College Associate of Science in Nursing degree is not eligible for this program*. The value of the scholarship will differ based on enrollment status (full-time vs. part-time). For more information about the scholarship call Maurya Incavido at 570-348-1278.

Explore educational opportunities at Lackawanna College. Potential students can direct inquiries to gregoryj@lackawanna.edu

*Learn more about Allied Services Nursing Scholarship program at Lackawanna College here.

Learn about other tuition assistance and scholarship programs at Allied Services here.

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