Unitek College nursing students at Community Health System received a much-needed and much-welcomed surprise last week, with a surprise donation of $50,000 from CalViva Health last Friday. Photo contributed

Unitek College nursing students at Community Health System received a welcomed surprise last week — a surprise donation of $50,000 from CalViva Health.

The donation, announced by CalViva Health CEO Jeffrey Nkansah during the students’ Friday classroom session, was met with cheers and tears alike as each student received a check for $2,083 to use for expenses in their nursing program.

Unitek College, a for-profit institution providing vocational training in health care, partnered with Community Health System last year; now in its sixth cohort, Unitek College has about 150 Community team members pursuing careers in nursing.

“We truly pride ourselves on being local … and that the individuals who take care of the communities are the individuals who live in these communities,” Nkansah said.

Nkansah added that gifts like these align with CalViva Health’s mission: helping support health care endeavors in communities throughout our region.

Community’s Division President of Hospitals Daniel Davis added that the donations will help students meet challenges during their educational journey head-on, with CalViva Health’s donation acting as another way to help students achieve success in the program.

More than 600 qualified applicants each year are unable to find space in existing nursing programs in the Central Valley. Expanding nursing education opportunities in the region continues to be a primary effort for Community Health System, aiming to address the ongoing nursing shortage in the Central Valley as the need for skilled health care professionals continues to increase.