Wasilla, Alaska – For the fourth year in a row, the Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) has dramatically increased the number of students to whom it has awarded academic scholarships. This year, 419 Mat-Su residents will share in a total of $1,725,510 to pursue higher education in the fields of health and human services, with individual awards ranging from $500 to $7,000.

“The need to help local residents pursue the education and training necessary to fill critical healthcare roles is more important now than ever before,” said MSHF President and Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Ripley. “These scholarships will help ensure there is adequate workforce to meet the growing needs of our community.”

The Mat-Su Health Foundation’s 2021 academic scholarship recipients are listed below, starting with the six Mat-Su Scholars Awards and followed by all other students who received awards:

• The Annie Demming Scholarship for a current high school student: Margaret Ludwig
• The Vivian “Babe” Shaver Scholarship for a behavioral health major: Amity Condie
• The Ya Ne Dah Ah /K’tl’egh’i Sukdu Scholarship for a graduate-level applicant: Megan Hoover
• The Jessica Stevens Scholarship for a physician assistant major: Tristan Merchant
• The Darlene Reed Scholarship for a nursing major: Casey Rahn
• The George V. Larson, III Scholarship for a hospital administration or nonprofit management major: Steven Duncan

Annie Abeles Julia Abell David Adams Sherie Albright Janelle Alder Kassidy Allen Jamie Allison Jessica Andersen Jennifer Anderson Emily Andrushko Marti Anliker Trinity Antill Avry Antonio Alexandra Apling Lana Arsenault Andrew Ashton Corrina Atkins Autumn Avoletta Catherine Baham Rebekah Bailey Meghan Bailey Nicole Bell Ryan Benedict Elizabeth Bengtson Olga Berezyuk Courtney Bernowski Aila Berrigan Rya Berrigan Elsa Biddle Allaina Bolinder Leah Bonn Samantha Booth Braden Bowker Tyler Bowman Azlynn Brandenburg Alice Breshears Lathen Breshears Cheyenne Breshears Kristina Bright Kristie Brooks Isabella Brown Charlotte Brown Paula Brown Marifrances Browner Heather Buchanan Thomas Buckley Robyn Burton Marrisa Butikofer Darian Cabales Alexander Cadieux Remmington Campbell Kailey Carlson Amelia Carney Feona Carney Rachel Carpenter Nicole Catlett BonnieJean Christensen Carsten Christiansen Friedrich Christiansen Jürgen Christiansen Christine Christiansen Emily Cizek Elizabeth Clausen Arora Clay Tyler Coffman Chae Colbert Hannah Cole Jadyn Collier Brooke Compton Elizabeth Condio Sarah Conkey Desiree Cook Jesse Cooper Karen Cordero Kiela Cott Alyssa Cruz Alla Damyan Andrea Daniels Camille Dayton Sean Deal Sarah Deardorff Alyna Deishl Danielle DePaepe Heather DeVilbiss Sara Diltz McKenna Dinkel Graham Dinkel Chloe Dolman Shayla Donley Meccala Draper Sharon Duste Avery Easley Pamela Sue Ehlers Grace Eldridge Mackenzie Ellibee Kimberly Elliott Millie Ellsworth Jena Enderson-Roop Elizabeth Evans Brett Ewing Kira Fagerstrom Emily Fagnant Rhodora Ferris Jordan Ferris Vincent Feuilles Ema Fiedler Jennifer Fields Ryan Finley Corbin Flaming Jewel Fleckenstein Mallory Fox Shannon Frati Grant Freeman Pamela Freeman Brittany Galloway Mary Geist Andrew George Cherianne Germain Katherine Germain Maia Gimm Dawn Gonzalez Darius Gooden Teresa Goodwin Lyubov Gorban Angela Goss Madeline Goss Alia Granda Mark Granda Katrina Grant Hannah Grawey Tessa Gray Ashley Grill Amber Grubb Kristen Gumley Noble Gurney Desiree Hacker Susan Haddox Michaela Hall

Grace Hamman Amanda Hansen Kelli Hansen Tara Hansen Alana Harris Caitlyn Harrison Chloe Hartman Curtis Harvie Sarah Haskin Natalia Heath Christine Heath Adams Michelle Heieren Valerie Heinrichs Joshua Hejl Maggie Hejl Amaya Hervey Elizabeth Heyano Jeremy Hill Brenda Holbrook Mary Holbrook Hailey Holland Nanette Hones Judith Horcsik Genya Howe Tracia Howell-West Hunter Hronkin Michealla Huckleberry Jenna Humphrys Nikki Hunter Michelle Hupfer Savannah Hurt Johnny Hutchins Chantel Hutchinson Tracy Irsik Faith Itta Karolyn James-Wallace Megan Johnson Deborah Johnston Jessica Jones Meredith Jones Rhiannon Jones-Young Chelsea Joy Michael Jurasek Casey Kahn Julia Kahumoku Shawntiana Kaylor Jaime Keena Libieann Keller Tiffany Kelley Jennifer Kelsey Moriah Kinne Christopher Kircher Sierra Kistler Rebekah Kitchin Angelina Klapperich Justin Knight Elisabeth Kolb Brooklyn Kopsack Kelsey Kraemer Nathan Kristich Isabella Krostek Tanya Kuhn Ethan Kuzina Leslie Lajeunesse Brittany Lambing Nathan Lashlee Kailah Laxague Jared Layton Corina Layton Fred Ledbetter Amy Leneave Tiffany Michelle Leonard Carol Leonard Angela Leshchinskiy Roma Lyn Leuthold Stephanie Little Marin Livingston Keely Livingston Cindy Lorang Katelynn Lubasky Lauren Luchsinger Gregory Lytle Vanessa Madruga Sarah Maffe Angelo Mangione Blake Marks Angel Martin Whitney Martin Amanda Martinez Samantha Matteucci Alexis Mattson Sabrina Maurer Emily Maxwell Lisl Mayer Brandi Mayo Carrie McClure Hayley McKinney Suzanne McMullian Mya Meehl Harrison Menard Tanner Menard Autumn Merrill Alyssa Metcalf Neve Michael Alyssa Miles Melissa Miller Esther Miller Liz Miller Maria Mills-Price Carol Mitchell Crystal Mokelke Desiree Molina Emily Montanez Tayla Mora Noel Moritz Mariah Morris Jayme Moudy-Ferrier Jasmine Moyer Erica Mucha Gabriel Mucha Colleen Newcity Sommer Nielsen Cassidi O’Brien Cariera Odenthal Joseph Oliver Sara Oomittuk Lydia Ortiz Alyssa Oswald Narda Oteo Samuel Oteo Samuel Ouellette Danielle Owens Allene Mae Pangilinan Ruvonne Parson Anika Pasa Sophie Paterson Rio-Morgan Patrimonio-Raval

Susan Paul Elliot Perkins Anna Peters Cheyenne Peterson Amber Pettijohn Jennifer Petty Kimberly Petty Trisha Pevan Kyleigh Pollock Tommie Poorbaugh Elise Porterfield Ginger Price Kimberly Quincy Lynette Ramos Aiko Ranchoff Jaala Rankin Margarita Ratcliff Brenna Rath Roshan Rayback Devin Reeder Renita Reedy-Smith Terri Reynolds-Rogers Naneth Rhoads Hunter Richards Tracy Richardson Kimbrlee Richardson Ian Richey Anne Ritala Miguel Rivera Annette Roberts Turkan Rollins Abigail Roper Megan Rossing Cheyenne Russell Joseph Sadley Julia Safarik Ashley Sanders Shawn Sanders Kylee Sanderson Carol Sant Anna Sargarodschi Jean Sargent Nathaniel Savel Tetiana Sazhnieva Brayden Schachle Channel Scherer Sage Schliesing Nathan Schmidling Katherine Schmidt Dory Schneider Kiana Schorr Grace Schumacher David Seidl Melissa Seime Eva Severance Savannah Shanigan Hayden Shults NaDene Silva Daniell Silvernail Savanna Simmerman Jake Simmons Whitney Simpson Haley Slack Abigail Smith Emily Smith Kaitlin Smith Damien Smith Katelyn Smith Claire Smith Bonnie Snyder Hope Spargo Mary Spatafore Hannah Spencer Katie Stark Hilary Stark Christine Starkweather Colton Stenger Codi Stephenson Rebecca Stiner Ava Straub Hunter Sullivan Jenna Sutton Terra Swartzbacker Summer Sweet Lori Syverson Tasha Tapey Scott Taylor Carly Thomas Yolanda Thomas Elijah Titus Nadezhda Tolmacheva Rosemary Toro Kassidy Torres Susan Townsend Taylor Tracy Melanie Trost Ethan Trouy Mathew Uscola Jamie Van Hoomissen Lydia Vance Eva Venema Kiana Verplancke Troy Verplancke Rebecca Vickrey Kasey Vieu John Vinette Jennifer Vinette Marilyn Vink Caleb Wagle Ripley Wakaliuk Clint Ward Jake Waterhouse Natalie Waterhouse Kimberlee Wear Megan Webb Naomi Weetman Nigel West Megan Whitlatch April Whitmire-Polis Kristal Whitted Heather Whorton Jeremiah Willer Stacie Williamson Misty Wilmarth-Agoff Victoria Winn Alexis Wood Jacob Worden Lacie Wortham Jessica Wright Ruby Wright Alana Wright Casey Wright Karee York McKenna Young Tracy Yundt Alexandra Zivotic Tricia Zuyus Jocelyn Zweifel

The MSHF offers scholarships in two categories: academic scholarships for students pursuing college degrees with health and human services majors, and vocational scholarships to assist students 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. The impact of COVID-19 on applicants’ educational journeys and goals was also taken into consideration. Applications for MSHF academic scholarships will be accepted again beginning in January 2022, but vocational scholarships are accepted year-round. More information can be found at healthymatsu.org.

###

About Mat-Su health Foundation: Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) is the official business name of Valley Hospital Association, Inc., which shares ownership in Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. In this capacity, MSHF board members and representatives actively participate in the governance of Mat-Su’s community hospital to protect the community’s interest in this important healthcare institution. The MSHF mission is to improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in the Mat-Su and the tools it uses include grantmaking, convening of local partners, and policy change. The foundation’s work has resulted in significant improvements in systems that support the health of Mat-Su residents in areas such as behavioral health, child welfare, crisis response, community connections, workforce development, transportation, housing, and senior services. More information is available at healthymatsu.org.