436 residents sharing in $2.6 million in scholarships

A popular local scholarship program has once again smoothed the path for Mat-Su students pursuing careers in the fields of health and human services.

More than $2.6 million was awarded recently to 436 local students by the Mat-Su Health Foundation. For the seventh year in a row, both the number of scholarships and the total dollar amount increased. Individual awards ranged from $2,000 to $9,000.

Academic scholarships are awarded to students attending accredited colleges and universities. The health foundation also has a vocational scholarship program that is available to help pay for training in areas such as medical office professions, addictions counseling, certified nurse assistant (CNA), and other certificate programs that do not result in a college degree but still fill a vital need in the health care community.

“There is tremendous career opportunity in these fields and a chance for all who pursue them to positively affect the lives of many,” health foundation President and CEO Elizabeth Ripley said. “Our scholarship program supports local residents to become the health and human service providers of tomorrow – to ensure we have the talent and expertise to meet community needs.”

This year’s scholarship recipients are diverse in their interest areas and are at different points in their academic journey. The top three fields in pursuit are nursing, behavioral health, and allied health – which includes physical therapy, pharmacy, and speech therapy.

Many of the recipients have received foundation scholarship assistance before, although 196 are new. Most are undergraduates (291), though 43 are soon graduating from high school and 102 are graduate students.

The Foundation has been awarding scholarships since 2008, and in the last five years has awarded 2,278 academic scholarships totaling more than $11 million.

Here are the 2024 MSHF academic scholarship recipients:

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Julia Abell Kayla Adams Christine Adams Darren Adams Magan Adams Aemjae Sainty Albano Karina Allen Rebekkah Alley Lydia Alverts Jessica Andersen Rachel Anderzen Rey Andrade Kelsea Armstrong Deborah Atwell Belle Baca Amy Bacher Kaija Backus Meghan Bailey Tyler Baker-Chapman Danielle Barnes

Nyalie Barnhardt Landon Basner Marissa Beachell Lavina Becerra Bronte Beck Eleni Beck Leticia Beebe Benjamin Beer Joshua Beer Leah Beer Travisreed Bekkedahl Kaylea Ben-Judah Ashley Bena Avery Bena Rya Berrigan Ashley Bethel Nona Bird Colsie Biswell Brittany Blake William Bocast Kelci Boe Megan Borgeson River Borrayo Jonathan Boss Angelus Bower Braden Bowker Elicia Bradley Azlynn Brandenburg Kate Bredberg Hailey Brennan Maycee Broadway Phillips Bethany Brokaw Melissa Brookey Charlotte Brown Christopher Brown Cody Brown Contessa Brown Paula Brown Talisa Brown Heather Buchanan Tobias Buchanan Elijah Buist Drake Burton Monica Bustillos Makailyn Cabales Wences Cabrera Zanya Caldwell Brian Calugan Esme Campfield Amelia Carney Aaliyah Caruso Mariah Carver Nicole Catlett Avery Chance Michelle Charland Anja Cheyette Keyshon China Justina Christensen Joseph Church Lily Clemens Aaron Clements Kali Clifton Hannah Clinch Ryan Coffman Cullan Coleman Jadyn Collier Antonia Commack Angel Compton Sabrina Coombs Veronica Couch Aimee Cox Abigail Crawford Emma Cremeen Raven Cross Jonathan Cuddy Kristen Davidson Noelle Davidson Wendy DeGraffenried Ryley Delima Hunter DeWall Blake Dinkel Matthew Dischner Caleb Ditmer Benjamin Doland Adrianna Doty Samantha Douthit Emily Duenas Isabella Duffield Hannah Duguid Steven Duncan

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Caitlynn Duncombe Kelly Dunford Makenzie Edgar Crystal Edwards Ayla Ehmann Macee Eklund Tyler Eldridge Sarah Ellsworth Ainsley Emmert Deanna Erickson Alyssa Ervin Miranda Ervin Cassidy Estes Melissa Eversull Breanna Ewing Kassandra Eyre Tonya Faeo Lerin Fairbanks Selene Farris Ema Fiedler Jennifer Fields Addison Finley Corbin Flaming Jewel Fleckenstein Kayla Foister Jessica Foisy Larrica Forrester Haley Fritts Marlee Fuger-Bellamy Zachary Gabel Brayden Gallagher Rett Gallagher Madeline Gardino Lyanna Garver Jonathan Geddes Amelia Gelatt Heather Gelineau Faith Gerasimyuk Katherine Germain Amber Godin Jennifer Golden Lyubov Gorban Allison Goss Camryn Grant Shanelle Grant Nichole Greenwood John Gregory Frank Grubbs Desiree Hacker Ella Hale Drake Halfacre Abigail Hall Adam Hall Mason Hancey Scott Hancey Danielle Hancock Daugette Alana Harris Laura Harris Caitlyn Harrison Timber Haselow Travis Haskin Sydney Haug Avari Hays Joehanna Heath Natalia Heath Ben Henderson Elisabeth Hennemann Rosalia Hennemann Sierra Hernandez Libieann Herndon Amaya Hervey Katie Hester Brenda Higgs Jasmine Hill Alyssa Hoffman Katey Houser Hailee Howard Tracia Howell-West Shawnie Huber Andie Hutchins Diana Ibarra Cortes Esme Imgrund Francesca Ivacic Faith James Gregory Jean Gracie Jernstrom Emma John Megan Johnson Rachael Johnson Rebecca Johnson Emily Johnston Ella Jordan Christopher Jorge Gianna Josten Kalina Kanongataa Abby Kara Haileymae Kaznakoff Brooklyn Keller Megan Keller Meagan Kelly Vaughn Kelly Paige Kessler Aryanna Killebrew Rachel King Angelina Klapperich Karissa Knagin Justin Knight Julia Kolb Julia Kosht Kelsey Kraemer

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Aubrey Kramer Madison Kramp Kairstyn Krasnesky Nathan Kristich Sophia Kristich Joshua Krull Cadence Lambert Sally Laret Emersyn LaRousse Bridget Larrabee Michael Larsen Jeffrey Lathrom Hailey Lawson Jared Layton Allison Leadbetter Janice Lein Carol Leonard Tiffany Michelle Leonard Roma Lyn Leuthold Erik Lewis Kalia Lewis Sherah Lewis Philip Licht Kaitlyn Liebig Melissa Liford-Jeffers Emily Link Kira Little

Keely Livingston Marin Livingston Alisha Loggins Laurel Long Rhyann Conant Harrison Ellianna Loudon Margaret Ludwig Paul Ludwig Laura Lyford Gregory Lytle Carter Magee Halie Mahoney Jacob Mahoney Bryant Marks Erica Marshall Lavar Marshall Adrienne Martin Madison Martinez Ruby Matthews Layla Maxon Christina McAdams Autumn McCarthy Carrie McClure Alexa Mcdonald Dylan McDonald Gene McDonell Kelsie McGraw Lindsey McKnight Joslyn Mckown Riley McLellan Ethan McNulty Neve Michael Gracie Minnick-Whaley Caroline Mitchell Cali Moffat Jessica Mondok Norma Montoya Ashley Moore Madalyn Morris Emily Moses Brittani Motoyama Malachi Mukaabya Joseph Mullins Lindsay Musgrave Ruth Myrvold Axyle Nardini Giselle Neiser Michael Nelson Taylor Nelson Diana Nika Gracie Norman Amy O’Connor Ariel Olson Kristine Olson Rachel Olson Rebecca Osterkamp Bernowski Alyssa Oswald Matthew Page Madison Pair Addison Palenske Avery Palenske Sierra Palmer Anika Pasa Rio-Morgan Patrimonio-Raval David Patterson Matthew Patzke Emily Payton Mckenzie Peckham Kyra Pehrson Alexandra Peter Tiger Petersen Aiyana Phillips Skye Phillips Kristen Pickard Angel-Skie Pickett Leana Pilipaka Ashly Pirtle Alexis Player Ashley Polston Jonathan Pomrenke Kimberly Quincy Kristin Rabe Ella Rafferty

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Roshan Rayback Holly Regallo Lucas Reich Mackenzie Reisinger Deanne Renschen Mackenzie Reyes Jessa Rhein Madeline Richardson Micaiah Richardson Ian Richey Elaine Ridlon Megan Rindal Zalah Robert Chailyn Roberts Megan Roberts Brooklyn Robinson Garey Robinson Joselyn Robles Josie Rockefeller Abigail Roper Esther Roper Soveyra Rosas Jacob Ross Aaron Rudd Shawn Sanders Michael Schachle Sabrina Schiewe Ashley Schoening Kiana Schorr Kaelynn Seidl Lily Sessom Charles Severance Stacy Shaffer Evie Shaw Anna Shedd-Bordner Lindsey Shelley Hunter Shields Riley Short Wyndsor Shuey Madelyn Shults Tanya Sinenko Haley Slack Jiaping Sliwinski Abigail Smith Claire Smith Mary Smith Melody Smith Riley Smith Lisa Solari Tori Soliday Livia Solis Martha Sommer Katrina Sousa Mary Spatafore Tara Spears Daniel Spencer Mattison Sperry Olivia Spiegel Jessica St. Laurent Isha Stanford Brooke Stavenjord Colton Stenger Gabrielle Stone Ava Straub Kristina Sullivan Audrey Swain Maureen Swain Monroe Swain Jesse Swenson Kristin Thomas-Vasquez Allison Thompson Alexis Torres Andrea Toston Susan Townsend Erica Tresham Emmy Trost Sarah Uschmann Kelly Utkin Octavia Vav Jacob Venema Rieken Venema Alysia Verley Kiana Vesel Rebecca Vickrey Grace Villastrigo Jeffrey Vincent John Vinette Jillian Ward Samantha Ward Mary Wargo Jake Waterhouse Taylee Weiss Alexander Wheeler Megan Whitlatch Anna Whitted Brooklyn Wicks Brett Widman Clara Willison Victoria Winn Dallas Winter Danielle Winter Cassandra Workman Jessica Wright Madalyn Yaskus Xia Zellmer Maisie Zugg

The Foundation offers scholarships in two categories: academic scholarships for students pursuing degrees within health and human services and vocational scholarships to assist with the cost of training and certifications for jobs in health and human services fields. Scholarships are awarded based on how well each applicant meets the Foundation’s eligibility criteria including financial need and career choice. Applications for MSHF academic scholarships will be accepted again beginning in January 2025; vocational scholarships are accepted year-round. More information can be found at healthymatsu.org.