Nursing scholarship? Check. Hands-on learning in an advanced training center? Check. A supportive community that cares about the people in it and clinical excellence? Definite check. With your support, Joy Sesay is preparing for a future in local healthcare.
For Joy Sesay, a career in healthcare was not something she had ever considered.
Fortunately, she fell in love with the profession while working as a patient care technician at Centra Specialty Hospital. “It felt fulfilling to contribute to patients’ well-being, and I began to reconsider nursing as my path,” Joy says.
After a devastating family tragedy, Joy knew she wanted to devote her life to caring for others.
“The turning point for me came in 2023 when I tragically lost my elder brother, (my best friend and confidant), to cardiac arrest during a football game at church,” shares Joy, who moved to Lynchburg from Nigeria in 2022. “There was no one available to carry out CPR right away, leading to critical delays in getting him the help he needed. By the time he arrived at the hospital, he had already passed away.”
She decided to pursue an associate degree in nursing at Centra College and dedicate her life to nursing. The Centra Foundation is helping her dreams become a reality through a scholarship — one of almost 200 given out in 2025. Thanks to support, she is well on her way.
“I chose Centra College because I had heard many positive stories from colleagues and friends who graduated from there,” Joy shares. “They spoke highly of the program. The scholarship I received has been invaluable.”
In addition, she is grateful that she is able to train at the Centra Central Virginia Center for Simulation & Virtual Learning (VLC), beside Centra College. The center offers multi-disciplinary training for Centra College students, Centra Caregivers, area EMS agencies, nursing students from other colleges and area healthcare providers. The Centra Foundation was able to fund state-of-the-art upgrades and expansions thanks to unrestricted donations to the Greatest Need Fund.
“The facility offers valuable opportunities to gain nursing experience,” Joy says, noting that funding provided by donors “enhances our learning experience. Spending time in the simulation labs is incredibly helpful. And some of the manikins are so lifelike. They can breathe, blink and even show pulses. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for donors. Their generosity is truly impacting our education and will ultimately help us provide better care for future patients.”
With continued nursing shortages across the country and a rapidly evolving healthcare environment, there has never been a more critical time to help aspiring nurses in our community realize their dreams. You can impact patient care, advance skills and support the next generation of compassionate Caregivers.
