Welcome to our new series, Perks for You. Each month, you’ll find a spotlight of a different perk available to you as a Kettering Health employee. Our goal is to help you better understand how to take advantage of existing opportunities.

The first perk we’re highlighting is our Education Assistance program, which provides financial aid to employees pursuing an undergraduate degree and/or certificate, a graduate degree, or a certification. This program is part of our commitment to employees’ growth, development, and continued learning.

If you think you may be interested in taking advantage of the Education Assistance program, here are some key details to keep in mind. More extensive information about eligibility and program options is available in the FAQ Knowledge Article and in the full program policy.

• Employees must be employed for at least six months and be a part- or full-time employee to be eligible.
• You can pursue a degree at Kettering College or any regionally accredited school (CCNE or ACEN accredited if pursuing a nursing degree).
  • The financial assistance provided varies by degree and school.
  • If you choose to pursue the RN-BSN program at Kettering College, Education Assistance participants receive an additional $75 discount per credit hour.
• An application for the program is required. It is reviewed by the employee’s direct supervisor and then the KH Education Assistance administrator.
• In return for receiving Education Assistance, commitment hours are required. Those hours start after the graduation date or when the last payment was sent, whichever was last.
• The federal government requires any assistance over $5,250 in a calendar year to be taxed.
• We partner with Edcor to manage our Education Assistance program. It allows us to streamline the application process, documentation review, school invoicing, and payment for tuition.
• The program is set up as a direct bill program where a voucher is supplied to the school, and they invoice Edcor for payment.

The Education Assistance program impacts the lives and careers of Courtney and Wendy

Courtney Shroyer, RN at Kettering Health Greene Memorial, utilized the program to reach her current role. She shared how the program has impacted her life and career.

“Kettering Health’s Education Assistance program made pursuing my Associate Degree in Nursing from Clark State College easy and manageable,” she said. “The program is user-friendly, and myHR made all of the information readily available to refer to each semester.”

Courtney recommended the program to other employees who might be interested. “The program was a great blessing for me and my family, and it could be for you too! The program made it possible to further my education and provided more opportunities for my future than I could have guessed.”

Wendy Artz, a human resources supervisor at Kettering Health, utilized the program to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Instructional Design from The University of Arizona Global Campus.

She explained that the program allowed her to progress in her career. The photo to the right shows Wendy working from home in her new position that was made possible by the degree.

“The program helped to make it all happen. The financial support made the dream a possibility,” she said. “The system was very easy to use and navigate with plenty of support all along the way. I would highly recommend using this benefit to anyone looking to continue their education!”