P.E.O. Grant Highlights Collaborative Spirit Between Erickson Senior Living Employees
March 10, 2020
Ashburn, Virginia—On January 20, Kate Van Atta, Senior Human Resources Manager at Ashby Ponds, earned a grant from the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.), Chapter G: Charlotte, North Carolina, to support her educational pursuits.
The primary focus of P.E.O. is to provide educational opportunities for female students worldwide; the organization also operates Cottey College in Missouri.
Scheduled to graduate this April, Ms. Van Atta is currently working toward her masters' degree in Human Resources Management through the University of Phoenix.
"By receiving the grant to complete my MBA, it helps me get one step closer to achieving career goals with Erickson Living. I love being part of a growing company," said Ms. Van Atta, who will be at Ashby Ponds for four years this May, during a recent interview.
It was a relationship she developed with a peer team member from Windsor Run that helped grow the connection with P.E.O.
"Before starting full-time at Windsor Run, much of my orientation with the company occurred at Ashby Ponds," recalled Allison E. Vessels, Ed.D., SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Human Resources Director at the Matthews, North Carolina-based community. "There, I had the privilege of working with Kate and saw what an amazing person she is. I am a member of P.E.O., and during our Human Resources Director meeting in October, we discussed her educational pursuits. Applying for the grant, called the Program for Continuing Education (PCE), was a natural fit."
There is a P.E.O. chapter at Ashby Ponds and P.E.O. members at Windsor Run, too. The grant process highlights the collaborative spirit and peer support between employees.
"I enjoy working at Ashby Ponds because of the people, hands down," stated Ms. Van Atta. "The relationships that we have formed at Ashby Ponds and with our sister communities and corporate partners make the good days even more enjoyable and any challenges we face easier because of the expertise and caring nature of co-workers."
For more information regarding career opportunities with Ashby Ponds, Windsor Run and Erickson Living, please visit https://jobs.ericksonliving.com/. On this site, users can search for available positions by community and apply on-line.