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Great Jobs KC

Dedicated to Her Dream – Lisa Wanjiru

Lisa Wanjiru completed her Certified Nursing Assistant (CAN) training with Great Jobs KC this past summer and is nothing but grateful for the experience. While attending school at MidAmerica College of Health Sciences, Lisa was connected with KC Scholars and began her relationship with her Scholar Advocate, Katie. Working previously as a Dietary Aid for three years, Lisa felt it was time for the next step in her career. After talking more to Katie, she saw this was good for her and started looking into new training fields.

After evaluating her experience, Lisa notes that she enjoyed the healthcare aspect of the Dietary Aid position but felt like she was doing the same tasks each day and wanted to have more of an impact on her patients. Her friends, coworkers, and parents mentioned working as a CNA, but she initially didn’t like that idea. After speaking more with her Scholar Advocate, she realized that CNA positions would allow her to provide better care like she wanted while offering higher pay. This helped her realize that she needed to put herself in a mindset to try something new and not say no immediately. Because she opened her mind to the idea of a new career path, she has opened her doors to many more opportunities, such as Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) roles.

Lisa dedicates her success to her Scholar Advocate, Katie. She describes her as a fantastic person she is forever grateful for and hopes she can help someone in the same way Katie helped her. The best part of Great Jobs KC for Lisa can also be credited to Katie. She shares how Katie improved the whole experience, “It makes me feel over the moon to receive this kindness. Knowing someone supports you emotionally and physically and having someone there to talk about things I am going through. She would even give me advice on what to do or how to achieve something when I thought I wouldn’t be able to achieve it”. While Katie was one of the best parts of Lisa’s experience, she also shares that recognizing herself as a KC Scholar is very special to her.

Lisa shared that receiving her certificate of completion of the Great Jobs KC program was a great accomplishment. Because of the higher pay through CNA positions, Lisa can get back on track to meet her lifelong goals – to go back to college to finish her Performing Arts degree. By having this better-paying job, Lisa can save money faster to finish what she started, something she only dreamed of. Great Jobs KC was an influential stepping stone to get her to meet her life goals. When asked what she would tell friends and family about Great Jobs KC, Lisa said it’s the best place to be. She thinks everyone should try it and see how far they can go, “No words can say enough, sincerely and humbly, thank you for everything you’ve done to help me”. Lisa believes KC Scholars is a beautiful program that will be a part of the rest of her life.

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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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