BRATTLEBORO — Community College of Vermont student Melissa Buffum received a $2,500 medical assisting scholarship from the Brattleboro Rotary Club Gateway Foundation at a March 1 award ceremony at CCV's Brattleboro academic center. Buffum is the fourth recipient of the Jesse M. Corum IV Scholarship.
The Brattleboro Rotary Club Gateway Foundation established the scholarship in September 2014 to honor late Brattleboro Rotarian Jesse Corum IV, who was an active Rotarian for 27 years.
Corum was committed to supporting local education and enhancing the Brattleboro community. Corum had no ties to CCV, but members of the foundation thought both the College and the chosen area of study were appropriate.
“We are happy to award a scholarship in memory and in honor of Jesse Corum, someone deeply committed to his community,” said Brattleboro Rotary Club Gateway Foundation President Martin Cohn in a news release. “We are equally happy that these funds will go to support Melissa's goal of finishing her degree in medical assisting and then working and giving back locally."
CCV's Medical Assisting degree is the only one of its kind in Vermont. It prepares students for the Certified Medical Assistant credential, which is becoming increasingly desirable to healthcare providers across the state.
“CCV is very grateful for its partnership with the Brattleboro Rotary,” said CCV-Brattleboro Academic Coordinator Leigh Marthe. “This financial support builds stronger bridges to both higher education and high-demand careers in Windham County. The Jesse Corum Scholarship has supported four students as they work toward becoming medical assistants."