Roane State Community College

^{_{Pictured L-R: Taynia Thornton, MMC volunteer services coordinator; Jay Shepherd, MMC vice president and chief support officer; Dr. Chris Whaley, RSCC president; Jeremy Biggs, MMC president and chief administrative officer; Andy Spellman, RSCC Oak Ridge campus director; and JoRene Finnell, Roane State Foundation student aid specialist.}}

November 12, 2025

Methodist Medical Center’s Volunteer Organization recently awarded Roane State Foundation with a $15,000 scholarship for nursing and health science students. This contribution will help students with needs not covered by state or federal grants.

“Every student should have the opportunity to pursue their goals,” said Roane State President Dr. Chris Whaley. “While eligible students can receive grants to assist with tuition, some are unable to cover additional costs. This is especially true for health science students, who may need specialty shoes, scrubs, and related items for their courses. These scholarships help bridge the gap so students can complete their education.”

This latest donation follows a rich tradition of support started by MMC’s Volunteer Organization more than 20 years ago, when it launched a six-year scholarship program for graduating high school seniors in the hospital’s five county service area – Anderson, Roane, Morgan, Campbell, and Scott counties.

The scholarships were for $1,000 each and were renewable for an additional year if the students remained in good academic standing and continued to pursue a career in healthcare. Similar donations were made in 2019, 2023, and 2024. This year, the volunteers have once again renewed their commitment to the education of strong clinical professionals.

“We are so thankful for the incredible support and partnership we have with both our Volunteer Organization, Roane State Community College, and Roane State Foundation,” said Jeremy Biggs, MMC president and chief administrative officer. “This collaboration continues to foster the growth and development of our next generation of caregivers.”

"We are truly thankful for this continued partnership with Methodist Medical Center as it is vital that we have the necessary healthcare workforce in our region,” said Andy Spellman, director of Roane State’s Oak Ridge Campus. “Methodist Medical Center and Roane State are working together to remove financial barriers for students, so they have access to healthcare education across our communities."

Methodist Medical Center is part of the Covenant Health System, which donated 10 acres of land in West Knoxville to Roane State Foundation in 2023. The land is now the site of Roane State’s new Knox Regional Health Science Education and Simulation Center.

Now set to open for spring classes in 2026, the 130,000-square-foot facility is focused on healthcare education and will be home to several health science programs offered by Roane State as well as TCAT Knoxville.

Roane State Foundation is continuing to raise funds for the new health science and simulation center, including purchasing equipment and providing scholarships for students pursuing careers in healthcare. Details on this effort are available at thrive.roanestate.edu.

To learn more about Methodist Medical Center, go to mmcoakridge.com.