Ava Padmore-Lewis, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, VITAS; Todra Norris; Yvonne Linen Garcia; and Yamile Zayas, Director of Workforce Development and Training, VITAS Healthcare
Florida hospice provider VITAS Healthcare, in partnership with Miami Dade College (MDC), recognized two Spring 2025 nursing scholarship recipients during a special ceremony on January 22nd, celebrating both second-career professionals entering the nursing field.
The scholarship recipients, former police officer Yvonne Linen Garcia and former schoolteacher Todra Norris, are pursuing nursing careers inspired by personal experiences with caregiving and end-of-life care. Both were selected by VITAS through the Miami Dade College LPN Scholarship, which supports students committed to compassionate, patient-centered care.
“Working with dying patients is not about repair work; it is about honoring someone, relieving suffering and finding space for meaning, memory and peace,” said Garcia, reflecting on her calling to hospice nursing.
Norris shared a similar motivation, stating, “What draws me to this field is the chance to bring comfort and peace to patients and families during a time when kindness truly makes a difference.”
The VITAS-funded Miami Dade College LPN Scholarship is designed to remove financial barriers to nursing education while helping address the growing national demand for nurses. Students pursuing a licensed practical nursing degree at MDC apply by submitting a hospice-related short essay and committing to two years of employment with VITAS.
By supporting second-career students, the program strengthens the healthcare workforce with individuals who bring life experience, empathy and a strong sense of purpose to patient care.
The partnership between MDC and VITAS Healthcare spans nearly five decades and reflects a shared investment in the future of healthcare professionals. Together, the organizations aim to build a diverse pipeline of nurses equipped with both clinical expertise and the compassion required to care for patients and families, particularly in hospice and end-of-life settings.
The ceremony highlighted the importance of collaboration between academic institutions and healthcare providers in preparing nurses to meet the evolving needs of South Florida’s communities.
For more information about the Miami Dade College LPN Scholarship or a fulfilling career in end-of-life care, visit VITAS.com.
