A $250,000 gift from Mission Health System will provide financial assistance to students from Western North Carolina who want to study in health-related programs at Western Carolina University.

Mission Health System will provide $50,000 annually over the next five years to WCU, with the gifts to be used for scholarships for students in WCU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.

Mission Health System previously has contributed significant financial support to help establish WCU’s physical therapy program and its program in certified registered nurse anesthesiology, joining other regional hospitals, medical centers and health care organizations comprising the WNC Health Network in efforts to address a shortage in those health care professions.