In a continued commitment to fostering excellence in healthcare, Skaggs Foundation recently announced scholarship recipients for the upcoming summer and fall semesters. The awards were celebrated at a ceremony and reception on Monday, May 6, at the Ozarks Technical Community College Table Rock campus community room. With a collective investment of $22,500, the scholarships show the Foundation’s dedication to quality healthcare education.
Scholarship recipients must be a resident of Stone or Taney County, Missouri, or Boone County, Arkansas, or a CoxHealth employee. They include recent high school graduates as well as those employed in healthcare and pursuing additional education, and were selected for their outstanding dedication and passion for the medical field. They represent a range of career paths including Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner, Physical Therapy, Exercise Science, and Social Work; and their selected education programs are at various colleges in Missouri and North Arkansas. The recipients include the following area students:
Ian Avellanosa, Samantha Beatty, Heath Cole, Wynston Crain, Isabella Dopko, Britney Doucey, Ellie Dunagan, Kylie Escobar, Corrine Espinoza, Lucy Feagans, Lauren Garrison, Katelyn Good, Jared Gott, Kierra Greco, Rylie Hagston, Mylee Hampsch, Susanne Hill, Marlie Holderfield, Raelee Hollier, Katelyn Jones, Kollin Kolb, HayLee McLain, Kayci Norris-Hill, Madison Phifer, Maci Rogers, Elizabeth Sawyer, Samantha Sherwood, Grace Simkins, Baylee Williams and Jenna Yaggy.
After Skaggs Foundation President Meghan Connell welcomed the group and shared information about the scholarship program, she invited Rob Griffith, President of OTC Table Rock, to address the recipients. In his remarks, Griffith reflected on the Bible verse about giving and receiving. Generous donors know the blessing of helping provide the scholarships, and the students are currently recipients, but will be able to give back through their own career and life purpose, in an ongoing cycle of caring.
Former scholarship recipient Hollie Holderfield then shared about her own healthcare experience, starting as a respiratory therapist and continuing into nursing. She expressed her gratitude both to Skaggs Foundation and to CoxHealth’s tuition assistance program, and encouraged students to take advantage of such available resources to achieve their goals at a very affordable cost.
William Mahoney, President and CEO of CoxHealth Branson, also addressed the group, briefly sharing the story of the Skaggs family who started a fundraiser for the hospital in Branson after their own child was seriously injured and had to be transported to Springfield for care. “You have an opportunity to be the eyes, hands, and ears of God when you work in healthcare,” he encouraged the students, reminding them that no matter a patient’s demographic or status, each is simply a person needing help.
After being individually recognized and presented with their checks, the students had the opportunity to ask questions of several current CoxHealth employees and Skaggs representatives while enjoying delicious cookies provided by College of the Ozarks.
Since its inception in 2002, Skaggs Foundation has awarded $537,450 in scholarships to students pursuing or advancing a career in healthcare. For more information about the Foundation and the scholarship program, visit SkaggsFoundation.org.