Foundation Awards $101,500 in Scholarships and Grants
Jun 25, 2020
(ST. JOSEPH) – Through the Allied Health Careers Scholarship program, Spectrum Health Lakeland Foundation awarded a total of $47,500 in the form of 37 scholarships to Lakeland team members and area students pursuing a career in health care. Another $54,000 will be awarded in department grants to support continuing education opportunities for Lakeland team members.
For more than 25 years, Spectrum Health Lakeland Foundation has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants to Lakeland team members, departments, and volunteers. This has been made possible largely through endowments from community members designed with the sole purpose of investing in healthcare education and training.
“While this year’s event was held virtually to keep everyone safe, it was still a very special day that we look forward to each year because it’s an opportunity to recognize many of our team members who are pursuing additional education and training which ultimately helps us take better care of our patients,” said Brandi Smith, vice president of philanthropy and president, Spectrum Health Lakeland Foundation. “It’s also a wonderful way to continue to recognize our donors who’ve created the endowments by which we provide these scholarships.”
During the scholarship ceremony, Smith presented Chido Masiya, nursing director at Pine Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation with the organization’s Leo Soorus Leadership Award to honor her outstanding leadership and efforts to inspire team members and safely care for residents at the facility during the COVID-19 pandemic including establishing a dedicated COVID-19 unit. The Leo Soorus Leadership Award and grant honors Soorus’ many contributions to Southwest Michigan as a Lakeland executive and a leader of multiple community and professional organizations.
Lakeland team members and area students (listed by their hometowns) who received scholarships through the Spectrum Health Lakeland Foundation include:
Benton Harbor
Chloe Kalinas, Whirlpool Foundation Nursing Scholarship
Jenna Wyant, Bill & Golda Madison Memorial Allied Health Careers Scholarship
Berrien Center
Roberta Armstrong, The James W. Tiscornia Memorial Nursing Scholarship
Stacey Layman, Frederick S. Upton Memorial Nursing Scholarship
Berrien Springs
Klarissa Burch, Lakeland Health Auxiliary Pawating Volunteer Scholarship
Amanda Marsh, MD, John Proos, MD Memorial Scholarship
Alexandra Soos, The Walter B. Laetz Memorial Allied Health Careers Scholarship
Shelley Thibeault, The Victor Palenske Memorial Allied Health Careers Scholarship
Coloma
Tiana Green, The G. Clemens Theisen Memorial Allied Health Careers Scholarship
Dowagiac
Keara Rankin, Muriel Huizenga Memorial Allied Health Careers Scholarship Endowment Fund
Galien
Emma Lozmack, Lakeland Health Auxiliary Pawating Volunteer Scholarship
Hartford
Jessica Cardoso, Community Hospital Foundation Scholarship
Joel Soto, Lakeland Hospital Watervliet Auxiliary Scholarship
Kalamazoo
Haley Thibeault, Lakeland Family Scholarship
Lawton
Hannah Helton, Brian Parker Memorial Foundation Scholarship
Niles
Hannah Albright, Niles College Scholarship
Jessica Blank, Niles College Scholarship
Tyler Clutter, Growth and Achievement Scholarship
Sean Gurley, Frederick S. Upton Memorial Nursing Scholarship
Kennan Janowski, Lakeland Health Auxiliary Berrien General Volunteer Scholarship
Sawyer
Luke Linscheid, Bill & Golda Madison Memorial Allied Health Careers Scholarship
St. Joseph
Lauren Cook, Gen Starkey Volunteer Scholarship
Thomas Chen, Lakeland Health Auxiliary Pawating Volunteer Scholarship
Victoria Felton, The William E. Johnson Memorial Scholarship
Larissa Grinvalds, DO, Graduate Medical Education Alumni Fund
Simi Jain, Deborah Lynn Griffin Memorial Scholarship
Zach Kreiner, Lakeland Health Auxiliary Volunteer Scholarship
Jordan Sanderson, Lakeland Family Scholarship
Hailey, Smith, The Margaret L. Tufts Memorial Allied Health Careers Scholarship
Stevensville
Rachel Eaton, The Joseph A. Wasserman Scholarship
Mehul Kedia, Lakeland Health Auxiliary Volunteer Scholarship
Chido Masiya, Leo Soorus Leadership Award
Carter Strebeck, Lakeland Family Scholarship
Allison Tuckowski, Ruth Frobel Memorial Nursing Scholarship
Watervliet
Trever Pelton, Lakeland Hospital Watervliet Auxiliary Scholarship
Brett Thumm, Jack & Dorothy Thatcher Memorial Scholarship Endowment
South Bend, IN
Dorcas Hodges, Growth and Achievement Scholarship