Joyce and Albert Zofchak Sr. lived and raised their family in the shadow of Hackensack Meridian Bayshore Medical Center for 50 years. When Albert and two other family members were admitted to the medical center with COVID-19, the Zofchaks saw first-hand how the nursing team rose to the challenge to care for their family and to help the community during the pandemic.

Sadly, Albert passed away in January 2022. To honor his memory and thank the team at Bayshore Medical Center, his family has established The Albert Zofchak Scholarship Fund. The fund will provide multiple scholarships for Bayshore team members who are enrolled in accredited nursing degree programs, including those studying to become a Registered Nurse (RN), or to receive a Bachelor’s degree or other advanced degree in the nursing field. The funding will help increase access to education by supporting educational expenses such as tuition, books and other supplies, which can often be a barrier for students.

The nursing scholarship program at Bayshore Medical Center is fully dependent on philanthropy, which is why gifts like this from the Zofchak family are so meaningful to team members. 

“We are incredibly grateful to the Zofchak family for their commitment to support nurses. Bayshore is honored to offer this scholarship in Albert Sr.’s memory,” said Marisa Medina, executive director of Hackensack Meridian Bayshore Medical Center Foundation. “Increased educational opportunities give patients access to the best expertise and care, and help retain and grow our nursing team. This is particularly important in light of the nationwide nursing shortage.” 

The inaugural Albert Zofchak Scholarships will be awarded in early May, coinciding with the nationwide celebration of Nurses’ Week, which recognizes nurses for the hard work they do every day in our communities and their commitment to saving lives. At least six students will be helped by this fund in the first year alone.

The scholarships in Albert’s name are a way to recognize the nursing staff and to “give back,” says the Zofchak family. “All of our family physicians are on staff at Bayshore and we have watched the improvements there over the years. The nurses do a lot of the hard work and, in the past two years, we have definitely seen positive changes.” 

As a chemist who founded his family’s company, Alzo International Inc. in Sayreville, Albert was a believer in advancing and improving lives, including through philanthropy. He, himself, had a meaningful life, and the family is very proud to advance and expand nursing education at Bayshore in his memory. We are grateful to the Zofchak family for their wonderful generosity, which will benefit so many, and for creating this beautiful legacy in Albert’s honor. 

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