west holt memorial hospital awards healthcare scholarships

WHMS Healthcare Scholarships Awarded to Local Students

Monday, June 24, 2019

ATKINSON, NE — West Holt Medical Services Foundation and West Holt Memorial Hospital are pleased to announce their 2019 spring healthcare scholarship award recipients.  

West Holt Medical Services Foundation Scholarships

Christa Wentworth and Sidney Braun have been selected to receive $500 each toward their degrees in the medical field.

Wentworth is a 2016 graduate of West Holt High School and is currently in her third year of undergraduate studies at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska where she is a participant in the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP).

Wentworth plans to graduate in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in human biology and go on to attend the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha where she will pursue a doctorate in Physical Therapy.

Wentworth shares, “My hope is to return to Atkinson to practice physical therapy. Atkinson is where I first fell in love with physical therapy and learned that it is much more than just helping someone through the physical pain of an injury.”

Braun is a 2017 graduate of West Holt High School and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Bryan College of Health Sciences in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Upon graduating in 2022, Braun hopes to return to Atkinson to practice nursing in the hospital emergency room and trauma setting. “I want to put my education to work in my hometown,” shared Braun.

Since 1988, West Holt Medical Services Foundation has awarded more than $55,000 to 237 students, many of which have returned to the area for employment.

West Holt Memorial Hospital Scholarships

Leighton Mlady and Samantha Pulis have been selected to receive $500 each toward their degrees in the medical field.

Mlady is a 2019 graduate of West Holt High School. This fall she will attend Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota and pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Upon graduation, Mlady hopes to apply to the Nurse Practitioner program at Mount Marty College.

“There is a great shortage of nurses in the United States today, especially in rural areas. I plan on coming back to Atkinson because I feel it is important to give back to a community who has given me so much,” shared Mlady.

Pulis is a 2019 graduate of Stuart Public School. This fall she will work towards an associate’s degree in the Paramedic Program at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska. Upon completion of her paramedic degree, Pulis plans to work towards a nursing assistant license and become a member of the fire department.

“Working as a nurse aid has gotten my feet wet in the healthcare field. I have been able to make my passion of helping others grow even stronger,” Pulis said.

“Our hospital and foundation are proud to continue our scholarship legacy with hopes that these students will return to the area to provide much needed healthcare services to our community, shared Jessica Prussa, Foundation and Marketing Director at West Holt Medical Services.

For more information about scholarships available through West Holt Memorial Hospital and its Foundation visit our scholarship page or call (402) 925-1956.