As a longtime practitioner in the health care field, Pete Peters always felt its unsung heroes were nurses. This is why he and wife Ava have established an endowed scholarship for students at St. Mary’s School of Nursing (SMSON).
Prior to the Ava W. Peters and Charles E. Peters Endowed Scholarship generating investment income, per the MHN Foundations’ investment policy, the funds rest for three years. Therefore, Pete and Ava will donate funds annually to provide scholarships. They began with a very generous gift to the SMSON scholarship fund for the fall 2024 semester.
“Having worked in the medical field as a counselor and provider, I always felt the nursing staff is the backbone of any health care organization,” said Peters, former owner of Huntington Behavioral Health. “They’re the ones who take the brunt and do the work that holds the whole thing together.”
The Peters hope that by enabling more nursing students to bear the cost of their education, there will be an increase in staff at local facilities long after they are gone. The only stipulation for applicants is that they be residents of Cabell or Wayne County.
While there is no requirement for recipients to work at Cabell Huntington Hospital or St. Mary’s Medical Center, Peters said they sense that people who grew up in this area are likely to remain after graduation.
The Kenova native feels strongly about helping the health care profession in general advance. In his case, he was a licensed professional counselor and a certified clinical mental health counselor. Despite his credentials, years ago it was a challenge to get insurance companies to agree to pay for treatment; that is fortunately improving, he said.
As a Marshall University graduate, Peters is also a strong supporter of the tri-state area. “We’re big believers in this community,” he said. “I grew up here. My wife is from Arkansas, but we moved back here in 1984 to be close to my parents. We hope to build a stronger professional community. For now, we get to participate with students and get to see them graduate and go to work.
