Smile!

All scholarships are an act of faith. Donors believe their investment and encouragement will improve the life of a Nevada student and therefore improve our Nevada communities. Deborah Osborn's scholarship helped her invest in her future, which made a tremendous difference in our region. As our Keynote speaker talked about her journey to the guests at the 2017 Scholarship Social. In 2002, as a determined single mother, Deborah Osborn’s drive and compassion were evident in her winning application for the Zonta Club of Greater Reno TMCC Re-entry Center Scholarship. The scholarship gave her needed assistance with childcare and transportation costs as she worked to graduate with honors from TMCC in Dental Hygiene. She went on to earn a degree from the College of Southern Nevada and a Certificate from Arthur Dugoni University of the Pacific Center for Special Care for Oral Health for People with Special Needs. An adventurous woman, Deb provided preventive oral care to many of the 37 remote Inuit villages in Bristol Bay Alaska, sometimes flown in by Cessna, bringing along portable dental hygiene equipment in 2011. In 2013, her program to serve the disadvantaged "Keeping The Smiles" was accepted by Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners. As a Medicaid provider, she now brings preventive services to those with disabilities and frail conditions in health facilities of Northern Nevada. Deborah Osborne is a marked example of a person who devotes her life to helping people and creating a better community. She advocates for people with special needs and presents a guest lecture to 2nd-year dental hygiene students about the need and rewards public health dental hygiene. Deborah Armstrong commits her life to keeping healthy smiles on the faces of people who need her most. Do you want to learn more about Community Foundation scholarships? Call Lauren Renda Program Officer, 775-333-5499.