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Starting Her New Adventure – Rachel Reardon

Rachel Reardon is making her childhood dreams come to life with Great Jobs KC. Rachel’s mother told her about Great Job KC because she knew it offered a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training course and encouraged her to look into it. After her mother’s passing in April 2022, Rachel moved out of Georgia and back home to Missouri to fulfill this lifelong dream.

Before starting her relationship with Great Jobs KC, Rachel was working as a Shift Lead at Bath and Body Works, making barely enough to survive. When she decided to pursue Great Jobs KC, she knew she was ready to do and give more in life, especially since she was coming out of a long-term abusive relationship. Rachel’s biggest motivation was her mother’s passing, “She had passed suddenly in her home all alone with COPD [Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease]. I felt that had I known more about the disease and ways to treat it, she maybe could have had a better quality of life”. After two significant life changes, Rachel felt what better way to learn and prove her worth than to start a new adventure.

Her adventure began with completing her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Certified Medication Treatment (CMT) certifications in only a year. By completing this, she hopes to work towards her Bachelor of Science in Nursing within the next year or so. A better-paying career will bring many opportunities into Rachel’s life, such as supporting herself and her family independently, purchasing a new car, and buying her own home. Recently, Rachel has been offered a position at the main hospital of KU Medical Center, where she will soon begin her newest role as a Patient Care Assistant floating over the entire hospital in all departments.

Rachel recognizes the undedicated support given to Scholars. The best thing that Rachel has found with Great Jobs KC is that the organization is always there to help those needing to learn how to start a new career path. In addition, Rachel found that the support resources available can help someone improve their skill sets to better themselves in their careers. Finally, and most importantly, the Scholars feel seen and know that they can positively contribute to the workforce community. The encouragement from individuals such as her Scholar Advocate means the world to her, “It makes me feel amazing that someone is supporting me through my journey and is always making sure I am trying to better myself and the world”.

Rachel’s recommendation to anyone considering starting a program would be to reach out and speak with someone about the fantastic opportunities available at Great Jobs KC. She reflects on her experience and recognizes how this is the best thing that happened, especially at the time it did, and that Great Jobs KC has improved her life tremendously. Without the help of KC Scholars, Rachel thinks she would still be working a dead-end job and would have never had the chance to reach her full potential. However, since she took the time to reach out and see what resources were available, her quality of life has dramatically improved. This experience allowed her to reach for her dreams and become the healthcare worker she always wanted to be!

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A group of graduates in caps and gowns celebrating outdoors. Text on the image reads "Over $12 million in scholarships being awarded." These scholarships are paving the way for promising careers.
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Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.

Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.

 

 

 

Adult Learner College Scholarship

The Adult Learner Scholarship application is closed. Please click GET STARTED to be added to communication reminders on when to apply during the next open cycle.

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

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Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships. 

Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.  

Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country.  Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.

Great Jobs KC
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