Impacting Lives Through Compassionate Care
Since she was a young child, Ashley Bateman has wanted to make people feel better. “When I was a little kid, people would tell me I had a caring, compassionate heart,” said Ashley. “If someone was injured, I was the first one there wanting to help them feel better. I’ve always had a desire to make an impact on someone’s life.”
Born and raised in South Jordan, Utah, Ashley has been involved with health and fitness from a young age. She was a gymnast and a member of her high school dance team. During her senior year of high school, Ashley began taking early enrollment classes in SLCC’s surgical tech program. Now, as a recent high school graduate, she will earn an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in surgical technology toward the end of 2023.
“It’s an exciting feeling to be finally graduating high school and then six months later be graduating from college with an AAS degree in surgical tech,” said Ashley.
Ashley first learned about the Metallica Scholars Initiative Scholarship from SLCC’s surgical technology associate professor. “When I heard Metallica was offering scholarships for community college students, I thought it was the coolest thing!” said Ashley. “I saw this as an amazing opportunity to get into the healthcare field without worrying about how I was going to pay for college, so of course I applied!"
Early enrollment classes do not qualify for federal financial aid, leaving students having to find other ways to pay for their education. The All Within My Hands Foundation’s Metallica Scholars Initiative Scholarship helps students who take early enrollment classes at SLCC as well as for those who take the traditional college path pay for tuition, school fees and tools required to complete the surgical technology degree program.
“The surgical tech program is really demanding so I’ve had to significantly reduce my hours at work,” said Ashley. “This scholarship has made going to school possible and taken the stress off my shoulders about how I am going to pay for college. If I didn’t have this support, it would take me twice as long to finish on my own.”
After graduating from SLCC, Ashley is looking forward to jumping into her career. “I love being in the operating room where the action is,” said Ashley. “No matter if the surgery is cosmetic or life-saving, I’m assisting everyone in that operating room and making a difference in that patient’s life."
“This funding has helped me more than I originally thought possible,” she said. “I’m so grateful for this opportunity and for the bands willingness to help students, like me, gain an education and a career."
As for the future, Ashley is still deciding which direction to take her career. “I may want to return to SLCC in the Fall 2024 to study nursing,” she said. “But for now, I’m excited to see where my surgical tech degree takes me. The sky’s the limit!"