GCCC Endowment Association Establishes Sister Janice Thome Legacy Scholarship
[Garden City, KS] June 25, 2025 -- The Garden City Community College Endowment Association is proud to announce the establishment of the Sister Janice Thome Legacy Scholarship, created to support underserved students pursuing careers in education, healthcare, and emergency response.
This new scholarship honors the lifelong service of Sister Janice Thome, who has dedicated her life to advocacy, compassion, and community impact. Since 1965, Sister Janice has served in 11 parishes and communities through teaching, counseling, and outreach. For the past 28 years, she has ministered in Garden City through the Dominican Sisters’ Ministry of Presence, which focuses on serving those in poverty by connecting them with essential resources and services.
Her extraordinary service has been widely recognized. In recent years, Sister Janice received the Tommy Austin Community Impact Award from Garden City Community College and was honored by LiveWell Finney County through the creation of the annual “Sister Janice Thome Award,” celebrating efforts to improve healthcare access for vulnerable families. She has also been nominated for the prestigious Catholic Extension’s Lumen Christi Award and has been featured in national outlets including The New York Times, NPR, and The Atlantic.
The Sister Janice Thome Legacy Scholarship will be awarded annually to a student with financial need, a minimum 3.0 GPA, and enrollment in one of the following eligible GCCC programs:
- Associate Degree Nurse (AAS)
- Early Childhood Education (Certificate)
- Elementary Education (AS)
- Emergency Medical Technician Technology (AAS)
- Medical Assistant (Certificate)
- Paramedic (Certificate)
- Pre-Nursing (AS)
- Registered Nurse (AS)
- Secondary Education (AS)
- Social Work (AS)
The scholarship will be available beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year. Applications open September 1, 2025. Students are encouraged to apply early, as awards are made on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.
To contribute to the Sister Janice Thome Legacy Scholarship, donors may mail checks to the GCCC Endowment Association with “Sister Janice Thome Legacy Scholarship” in the memo line, or make an online gift and include the scholarship name in the notes section.
For more information on establishing a scholarship at GCCC, please contact the GCCC Endowment Association at 620-276-0412 or visit www.gcccendowment.com.
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Garden City Community College exists to produce positive contributors to the economic and social well-being of society.