Celebrating our 20th Anniversary

We’re thrilled to kick off a year-long celebration of the Education Fund’s 20th Anniversary! Join us on this incredible journey as we reflect on two decades of empowering minds, transforming lives, and making education accessible to all. Let’s celebrate 20 years of educational excellence, innovation, and countless success stories. Check back for updates, and join us as we pave the way for an even brighter future through education.

Throughout the year, we will be adding more content here to highlight our growth, tell our story and celebrate the accomplishments of our learners over the past two decades. We will be providing selections from our photo archive, historical facts about the Education Fund, quotes from current and former program participants and staff, and more on an ongoing basis. We hope you will join us in this celebration.

From 2004 to today

Since our inception in 2004, the Education Fund has expanded to include 22 hospitals and health systems, benefiting approximately 105,000 eligible union members. Our mission is to promote fairness and inclusivity by creating pathways for career advancement that cater to the diverse needs of our communities. Nearly 70% of our learners come from diverse backgrounds, and around 80% are women. Through formal partnerships with major healthcare employers, we’re able to offer valuable career advancement opportunities in high-demand fields. Notably, graduates of our programs often experience a significant increase in their wages, with an average rise of 45% in family-sustaining union jobs. Learn more about our growth in our most recent Annual Report. (Our new Annual Report will be available later this Spring.)

Why I Love the Ed Fund – 20 Reasons

Over the next several months, we’ll be spotlighting sentiments from former Education Fund participants, expressing their gratitude for how our program offerings have changed their lives. Look for one every one to two weeks, as we work our way up to 20 Reasons – in honor of the Education Fund’s 20-year history.

Reason #1

“I have long sung the praises of the Education Fund benefits and pointed many of my coworkers in their direction. They are now taking advantage of opportunity of having this extra support to improve their marketability and fulfill some long-held education dreams.” – Arkesha Elliott

To kick off this inspiring sample of quotes from learners through the years in celebration of our 20th anniversary, we highlight Arkesha’s inspiring journey with Kaiser Permanente Colorado. Leveraging the Education Fund’s tuition reimbursement through the College Courses program, she advanced her career by fulfilling prerequisites for nursing and allied health fields. Her goal? To earn a nursing degree and a Master’s of Health Administration, aiming for a leadership role in healthcare. Arkesha’s story exemplifies the Education Fund’s vital role in empowering healthcare professionals to reach new heights.