In just five weeks, 29 active and retired health care professionals across the University of Vermont Health system raised nearly $67,000 to launch the Alice Hyde Medical Education Endowed Fund — the hospital’s first fund dedicated to advanced clinical education and building a stronger long-term health care workforce in the North Country.

The campaign began with a $50,000 matching challenge from an anonymous donor. If local providers could match the gift, the donor would contribute the full amount to launch the fund.

The response was immediate.

Within weeks, clinicians from Alice Hyde Medical Center and across UVM Health stepped forward with contributions, many giving in honor of patients, mentors, loved ones and the community they serve.

By the close of the effort, clinicians had surpassed the goal, raising roughly $67,000 and unlocking the full match.

“I’ve been here 14 years, and this was one of the most special things I’ve seen happen,” says Chantelle Marshall, director of philanthropy at Alice Hyde Medical Center.

The result is the hospital’s first endowed fund dedicated specifically to advanced medical education, an investment Marshall says can help address a persistent challenge in rural health care. The fund will support training for physician assistants, nurse practitioners and physicians — roles that require years of education and significant financial commitment.

“Funding education for people in the community is critical,” says William Baker, MD, vice chair of emergency medicine and associate medical director of the High Value Care Team at UVM Health, who also contributed to the fund. “It helps keep skilled professionals here and gives people the opportunity to build their careers where they live, which ultimately makes the community stronger.”

Marshall says the idea grew from conversations about how small investments can create ripple effects, especially in rural communities. The campaign reflected that ripple effect.

One early gift sparked momentum. Colleagues began reaching out to one another, sharing personal reasons for giving, from honoring patients to recognizing mentors who inspired their careers.

“When I was in the fifth grade, my mom, a career PICU nurse, went back to NP school,” says Ashley Weisman, MD, a rural-academic emergency physician. “She magically transformed into this driven, inspiring lifelong learner. She would line up her three kids after school and practice the physical exam. She covered our kitchen and our 1990s Volvo station wagon with Post-it notes and flashcards to fit in study time. Her dedication to clinical medicine is a huge part of why I became a doctor. I am giving to this fund in the hopes that many families, like mine, will benefit from the opportunity to further their education and build a stronger rural health care workforce in our region.”

Many physicians from across UVM Health also reached out with a special request.

“They said, ‘I’d like to give, but can I do it in honor of our patients in Malone?’” Marshall says. “That meant a lot. It showed how connected people feel to this community.”

For Marshall, the experience underscored the shared mission connecting clinicians across the system.

“Sometimes being part of a larger system can feel distant,” she says. “But this showed something different. People who may not work in the same building still care deeply about what happens here.”