Wasilla, Alaska –The Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) recently awarded 261 academic scholarships to local residents, more than twice as many as were awarded last year. The amount awarded for 2018 was $817,853, an increase of 12 percent over last year’s $721,400. An additional $182,147 in Vocational Scholarships is expected to be awarded by the foundation in 2018, bringing the total to $1,000,000 to support education and career opportunities for Mat-Su residents.

“This was a record year for the Mat-Su Health Foundation program, both in terms of applicants and number of awards,” said MSHF Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Ripley. “With 18 of the top 25 fastest-growing occupations in Alaska being in health care, we’re honored to help grow tomorrow’s workforce today. This ensures that the fast-growing Mat-Su population will continue to have access to the services it needs to stay healthy.”

The Mat-Su Health Foundation offers scholarships in two categories: academic scholarships for students pursuing college degrees with health or wellness majors, and vocational scholarships to assist students with the cost of training and certifications for jobs in health and wellness fields. Scholarships are awarded based on how well each applicant meets MSHF’s eligibility criteria, which includes financial need, demonstrated interest in health care, and selection of a career choice that matches the workforce needs of the Mat-Su. MSHF academic scholarships are awarded one time annually, while vocational scholarships are awarded throughout the year.

All 2018 Mat-Su Health Foundation academic scholarship recipients are listed below, starting with the five Mat-Su Scholars Awards, and followed by all students who received awards:

• The Annie Deeming Scholarship for a current high school student: Antonio Rund
• The Vivian “Babe” Shaver Scholarship for a behavioral health major: Tamra Harriso
• The Ya Ne Dah Ah /K’tl’egh’i Sukdu Scholarship for a graduate-level applicant: Tessa Turner
• The Jessica Stevens Scholarship for a physician assistant major: Karen Clement
• The Darlene Reed Scholarship for a nursing major: Kaitlin Daly
• The George V. Larson Scholarship for a hospital administration major : Aaron Clements

Hannah Abbe

Theodore Abeles

Ruby Acord

GbenroAdetunji

McKenna Aga

Coleman Ahrens

Janelle Alder

Crystal Allen

Rebekkah Alley

Corey Ambrose

Kleigh Anderton

Trinity Antill

Kelsea Armstrong

Lucy Ashby

CorrinaAtkins

Dustin Atwood

Kayla Austin

ColletteBailey

Angelina Baklanov

Alan Bartelli

Caleb Beauvais

KeannaBeck

Hailey Belnap

Olga Berezyuk

SusannBergstrom

IsabellaBlake

IzabellaBlock

Hailey Boatman

Christen Bohl

Hannalora Bolduc

Kara Boothby

MalloryBradford

Anna Bradshaw

Rosanna Brandon

River Brothers

Mary Brown

HeatherBuchanan

ThomasBuckley

Alex Buness

Clara Burnett

Jasmine Burton

Stephanie Button

Kailey Carlson

Feona Carney

AmeliaCarney

BrysonCarrillo

KendraCasas

Brittany Caulkins

Jenny Chesbro

Jürgen Christiansen

CarstenChristiansen

Ryley Coke

Michael Consalo

SabrinaCoombs

Kayla Corgan

Melissa Crane

Sarah Crowley

Kristina Culbertson

Amber Curry

Emma Dahms

CamilleDayton

Rachel Delaney

AdindaDemske

Samantha Derr

Meda DeWitt

Alexis Dilley

Amanda Donnally

AshlynDorn

ArrianaDoty

Mary Drozd

Hayee Duguid

Steven Duncan

KaitlynDykman

Kaila East

Laurel Eliason

Kimberly Elliott

Amber Enns

Leah Erb

Terri-JoEwing

Trey Farber

ShayleeFelicetty-Kacena

Ema Fiedler

Benjamin Fife

ChelseaFinch

Parker Flaming

Jewel Fleckenstein

Amber Ford

Michael Foster

Angel Gascon

Fernanda Gastelum-Orduno

Lahna Gensler

Dana Gergilevich

Heidi Goozen

Jeremy Grice

Bryan Griffee

DeannaGriffin

Adriel Grimshaw

CaitlynHacker

CelesteHarrell

MeganHarris

ChantelHartle

Ben Henderson

Ciara Hendricks

Sierra Hernandez

Marika Hintz

TheresaHodgson

KendraHoffman

Breanna Holben

Mary Holbrook

Jenny Hopper

Matthew Horner

Devan Howard

Lydia Howard

KristianHughes

Aleahya Hunter

Alyssa Hutchins

Alexandra Hutchins

Amanda Hutchins

MelissaImgrund

AmeliaJohnson

Deborah Johnston

Hayleigh Jones

AndrewJones

KristenJorgensen

Michael Jurasek

Shenille Kelly

TiffanyKemp

Paige Kessler

Sierra Kistler

Mary Klapperich

Kirsten Knight

JenniferKolb

Alyson Kopsack

Nathan Kowalczk

Myia Kreider

Jared Layton

Corina Layton

Isabel Leath

Jeweleann Lelle’

Amy Link

HannahLoftus

Lauren Luchsinger

Julia Luey

TawnyaLuppino

Amanda Lyon

Gregory Lytle

Alli Madison

Chloe Mae

Jina Malone

RichardManrique

Blake Marks

Alan Markus

Kelly Marre

Ruby Matthews

Stephanie Mattson

Candace Mauldin

Alyssa McKenzie

Megan Mercer

Dalayon Miles

Helena Miller

Christy Miskinis

Michael Miskinis

Carol Mitchell

Kristen Moat

Makenna Morgan

Zoe Morris

Jayme Moudy-Ferrier

Danya Nicketa

Hayden Niekamp

Courtney Niemi

Amy O’Connor

Rachel Outterson

Kcie Owens

Garrett Pace

RuVonne Parson

Rio-Morgan Patrimonio-Raval

Presley Petersen

Joletta Petluska

McKenzie Pfister

Deven Pfister

KyleighPollock

Sydney Poorbaugh

Joseph Powers

Aurora Purington

Steven Ray

Jessica Reisinger

JordannReynolds

Terri Reynolds-Rogers

Samantha Rice

Noah Richards

Garey Robinson

Rebecca Rossing

Michelle Rountree

Brandon Rowley

Sarah Rubeck

Nicole Rufkahr

Emily Sager

Kyee Sanderson

Tarissa Sardari

Tucker Sawyer

Lauren Scanlan

Brayden Schachle

Hannah Schaefer

Dory Schneider

Sharon Schober

Julia Scully

Ashley Seever

Lily Sessom

Kortney Shaw

Helen Sheldon

Jake Simmons

Marcus Sinchuk

Leyla Sinyawski

Hailey Smart

Amanda Smith

Leah Smith

Bonnie Snyder

Rebecca Sorensen

Bricen Sorrell

Courtney Stahler

Erin Staricha

Christine Starkweather

Alexa Starr

Kirsten Strolle

Molly Sullivan

Connor Sullivan

Kyle Summerlin

Delta Summitt

Molly Swanson

Summer Sweet

Raini Tanori

JenniferTaylor

Luke Tegeler

Yolanda Thomas

Brandon Thompson

Elizabeth Tunnell

Lydia Vance

CarmonVanSickle

Eva Venema

Kiana Verplancke

Sarah Walker

Jessica Walker

Adam Ward

Natalie Waterhouse

Genevieve Weiss

Nigel West

Alana Wheaton

Heidi Wheeler

Kayleigh White

Danielle Williams

Madelyn Winder

Macaela Wolfe

Kirsten Woodard

Emily Wright

Maryann Zmuda

About MSHF: Mat-Su Health Foundation is the official business name of Valley Hospital Association, Inc., which shares ownership in Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.In this capacity, the MSHF board members and representatives actively participate in the governance of Mat-Su’s community hospital and protect the community’s interest in this important healthcare asset through board oversight.The MSHF invests its share of Mat-Su Regional’s profits into charitable works that improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in Mat-Su. More information is available online at www.healthymatsu.org.