When Winchester SLI scholars heard from Valley Health leaders in April, they didn’t just learn about healthcare professions; they also met community health leaders who were thrilled to spark their imaginations for their paths ahead.
The after-school SLI meeting highlighted careers ranging from nursing to rehabilitation therapy and allied health. Led by Valley Health outreach coordinator Elizabeth Campbell (pictured speaking), presenters included Ting-Ting Kuo (seated), a director of regional rehab services and board-certified women’s health clinical specialist, and Christina Nance, the director of nursing and acute care inpatient units.
Valley Health is a Winchester-based not-for-profit health system that serves the Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and the Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands of West Virginia. Its network includes six hospitals, more than 70 medical practices and Urgent Care centers, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, medical transport, long-term care and home health.
“When students understand their options, they gain the power to imagine their future,” said Kuo, who previously was the director of rehabilitation at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and, before that, an outpatient clinical specialist and assistant therapy supervisor at NYU Langone Health.
“Exposure to careers that spark curiosity and excitement allows them to envision what is possible,” she said. “It was a privilege to spend time with a group who had identified special interests, careers paths, and goals, and I see a bright future for the students who expressed nursing, music, engineering, and dentistry as their profession of choice.”
In 2025 Valley Health awarded SLI $25,000 to support Winchester SLI scholars pursuing studies in healthcare careers. The funded scholarships helped students pursue degrees in neuroscience, health sciences, public health, nursing, and psychology.
“SLI gave me an idea of what college was going to be like,” said Dafne ’22, a Winchester SLI alum now studying nursing. “I was able to hear actual students speak about their college experiences. Because of that, I was able to have a lot of my questions answered. Without SLI, I would’ve been lost in college.”
SLI collaborates with high school and university faculty, staff, and students to offer out-of-school, college access programs for high school students (“SLI scholars”) in Harrisonburg, Richmond, and Winchester. With support from its donors, SLI creates college scholarships, tech grants, and other financial assistance opportunities for SLI scholars and alumni.
“I can’t overstate how vital it is to connect with our teenage population as they begin imagining life beyond high school,” said Nance. “They need to hear, clearly and consistently, that the world is wide open to them and that their goals are truly within reach. We want them to know that they’re not navigating these decisions alone, that there are adults ready to listen, to mentor, and to help them build confidence in their own abilities.”
Privately funded by the SLI community of support, since its incorporation in 2012 SLI has served 223 scholars (67 current and 156 alumni) and awarded students more than $917,300. This year is “SLI’s Million Dollar Año,” when the organization anticipates passing the $1 million mark in total awards to students. SLI alumni have attended 29 colleges and universities.
