October 28, 2024
On September 21, 2024, St. Peter’s Health hosted a memorable evening to honor scholarship recipients of the Fred C. Olson Learning and Development Institute. The event, held at the St. Peter’s Health Education Center, brought together St. Peter’s employees, donors, and community members to celebrate the achievements of healthcare professionals who have advanced their education and skills through the support of these scholarships.
The evening began with a warm welcome from St. Peter’s CEO Wade Johnson, who expressed gratitude to the attendees for their support of the health systems and its team members. Johnson highlighted the importance of the Olson Institute, established in October 2020, in creating a sustainable workforce pipeline and enhancing the skills of its current team members. He emphasized the critical role of education and advanced training in today’s healthcare landscape.
Johnson also paid tribute to institute namesake Dr. Fred Olson, a dedicated physician and former CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield and interim CEO at St. Peter’s. He acknowledged Dr. Olson’s significant contributions to the community and introduced Dr. Lee Harrison, Dr. Olson’s wife, who has been a generous donor to the St. Peter’s Health Foundation and the Fred C. Olson Endowed Scholarship Fund.
One of the highlights of the evening was a speech made by psychiatrist Dr. Bridgid Crowley, a 2024 scholarship recipient. Dr. Crowley, who leads the psychiatry team at St. Peter’s, shared her journey and the impact of the Fred C. Olson Employee Education Endowed Scholarship on her ability to serve the mental health needs of the community.
St. Peter’s Health psychiatrist Dr. Bridgid Crowley shares the impact donor scholarship funds have made on her professional growth and development.
“In my practice, I see a broad spectrum of people,” said Crowley. “I work with young adults all the way to end of life cases. I think my oldest patient is in their 90s. I see the uneducated as well as highly educated professionals. My clinic is as diverse as you would expect living in Montana. I work with some of poorest people as well as some of the wealthiest… mental health disorders do not discriminate.”
Dr. Crowley’s achievements, including the recent $288,000 grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) treatment, were celebrated as a testament to the value of continued education and support.
“TMS was not standard of care when I was in training years ago,” said Crowley. “With the support from the Institute, I attended an intensive training course for TMS at Duke University.” She went on to share about what she learned from world-renowned experts during her stay, and said she returned feeling confident that she could help St. Peter’s build a robust and successful TMS program.
“What do they say? ‘See one, do one, teach one?’ Our entire clinic has felt energized with the TMS program,” said Crowley. “Having the ability to deliver TMS locally will change the course of mental health treatment regionally going forward.”
Twelve additional team members were recognized at the ceremony who have also successfully completed their degree, certification, or advanced skills training programs with the help of endowed scholarships. Closing remarks highlighted the significance of the Fred C. Olson Learning and Development Institute in providing continuous learning opportunities for St. Peter’s Health’s 1,800 employees.
The hand-blown glass recognition pieces presented to each scholar has unique symbolism with colors and shape representing the transformative power of education.
Stephen Mason, Executive Vice President of the St. Peter’s Health Foundation, concluded the evening by expressing heartfelt thanks to the generous donors who have made the scholarship program possible. Mason shared impressive statistics, including the $3.1 million in commitments since October 2020 facilitated by the St. Peter’s Foundation for now eighteen scholarship funds and the goal to raise $10 million for endowed scholarships by 2028. He highlighted the addition of six new endowed scholarships over the past year, underscoring the community’s ongoing commitment to supporting education and healthcare excellence.
As St. Peter’s continues to expand its educational programs and partnerships with local colleges, universities and high schools, the Fred C. Olson Learning and Development Institute remains a beacon of hope and opportunity for healthcare professionals in Helena. The institute’s commitment to excellence in education and healthcare ensures that the community will benefit from skilled and dedicated professionals for years to come.
