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Pictured (left to right): Joann Emge, Chief Executive Officer, Sparta Community Hospital District; Emma Batson, CNA, Alene Holloway Nurse Scholarship recipient; Ellie Grobb, RN, Alene Holloway Nurse Scholarship recipient; Jennifer Holloway-Burton; Alene Holloway, RN; and Rev. Don Jones, Director of the Health & Wellness Foundation of Sparta Community Hospital District. Batson and Grobb were each awarded a $1,000 Alene Holloway Nurse Scholarship to support their nursing education.
Sparta Community Hospital District (SCHD) and the Health and Wellness Foundation are proud to announce that Emma Batson, CNA, and Ellie Grobb, RN, have each been awarded a $1,000 Alene Holloway Nurse Scholarship to support their nursing education.
Both recipients are valued members of the Sparta Community Hospital team. Grobb is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, while Batson will pursue her BSN at Missouri Baptist University this fall.
The Alene Holloway Nurse Scholarship was established in 2023 by the family of Alene Holloway, RN, in honor of her 90th birthday. The scholarship supports healthcare workers pursuing nursing education. Holloway served Sparta Community Hospital District for nearly 30 years—first as a registered nurse and later as a member of the Board of Directors—and has dedicated her life to supporting SCHD and the education of future healthcare professionals.
Holloway’s commitment to nursing began in 1952, when she volunteered as a “candy striper” at Sparta Hospital during the 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. shift, four days a week. She graduated from the Burnham School of Nursing in Champaign, Illinois, in 1954, served SCHD until her retirement in 1977, and later returned to practice in Occupational Health at Captain Mine. Beyond bedside care, Holloway continued to advance local healthcare through service on the SCHD Board of Directors and the Health and Wellness Foundation Board of Directors, witnessing firsthand the hospital’s growth and its positive impact on the community.
In recognition of her love for nursing and dedication to the profession, Holloway’s family chose to honor her by providing scholarships to deserving candidates. Since its inception in 2023, the Holloway family has awarded a total of six scholarships to Sparta Community Hospital employees.
The Sparta Health and Wellness Foundation supports the work of the hospital in a variety of ways, including raising awareness of the educational needs of future healthcare professionals. For more information about the Health and Wellness Foundation, please contact Rev. Don Jones at 618-314-6811.