Wasilla, Alaska – For the sixth year in a row, Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) increased the number of and total dollar amount of academic scholarship awards. This week, 424 Mat-Su residents were awarded more than $2.1 million to pursue higher education in the fields of health and human services. Individual awards ranged from $1,000 to $7,000.

“Like the rest of Alaska, Mat-Su is facing a shortage of qualified healthcare workers. The difference is that Mat-Su’s population is also growing, creating more demand for services closer to home,” said MSHF President and Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Ripley. “Our scholarship program provides the cornerstone to Healthy Futures, our workforce development focus area. These scholarships help local residents pay for college and training that leads to living wage healthcare jobs here at home while also increasing access to quality healthcare services for Mat-Su residents.”

The Foundation has been awarding scholarships since 2008, and in the last five years has awarded 1,842 academic scholarships totaling more than $8.5 million.

The 2023 MSHF academic scholarship recipients are listed below:

Abell, Julia Adams, Kayla Adams, David T. Adams, Christine H. Albright, Sherie M. Alexia, Patricia N. Alverts, Lydia Ancheta, Kylie T. Andersen, Jessica L. Andrushko, Amaliya Armstrong, Kelsea R. Atwell, Deborah J. Baca, Belle E. Backus, Kaija A. Bailey, Meghan E. Baird, Abbie Barnes, Danielle Barnhardt, Nyalie Beachell, Marissa L. Becerra, Lavina J. Beebe, Leticia Beer, Leah Bell, Anna D. Beltz, Alex T. Bena, Avery Bena, Ashley Benedict, Ryan D. Berrigan, Rya W. Bird, Nona R. Blake, Brittany Blanning, Sarah Bocast, William Bontrager, Shiann N. Borgeson, Megan Borrayo, River D. Boss, Jonathan E. Bowden, Stacey Bowker, Braden J. Bowman, Jillian Bowman, Josiah J. Bradley, Elicia Y. Brandenburg, Azlynn L. Brokaw, Bethany Brooks, Kristie L. Brown, Paula S. Brown, Contessa D. Brown, Christopher R. Brown, Charlotte Brown, Isabella C. Buchanan, Heather D. Buchanan, Rebecca O. Bustillos, Monica R. Butler, Alexandra Cabales, Darian J. Cabales, Makailyn R. Cabrera, Maria Theresa V. Cadieux, Alexander J. Caldwell, Zanya K. Carlson, Kailey J. Carlton, Alexandra Carney, Amelia Caruso, Aaliyah N. Catlett, Nicole M. Chance, Avery N. Charland, Michelle L. Cheyette, Anja Christensen, Justina L. Cizek, Emily J. Claus, Kellie K. Clay, Arora N. Clements, Stefani K. Clinch, Hannah Colberg, Jake Colee, Emily Coleman, Cullan B. Collier, Jadyn R. Compton, Brooke N. Compton, Angel R. Conklin, Jessica Coombs, Sabrina Copeland, Nicholas Cremeen, Emma Cruz, Kayla M. Cypress, Savannah M. Davidson, Noelle J. DeBauche, Rachel Deishl, Alyna L. Delima, Ryley Dennis, Kristina Dickey, Corina M. Dischner, Matthew Doland, Benjamin Dolman, Chloe Doty, Adrianna Douthit, Samantha R. Dowell, Katrina R. Duenas, Emily Duffield, Isabella Duguid, Hannah L. Duncan, Steven F. Dunford, Kelly K. Edmondson, Ashley A. Edwards, Jaleie Ehmann, Ayla L. Eldridge, Tyler L. Elrod, Tara Enderson-Roop, Jena L. Engelbrecht, Raven Ervin, Miranda Essman, Andrew D. Estes, Cassidy M. Ewing, Breanna Ewing, Brett M. Farris, Faith M. Farris, Selene Feuilles, Vincent A. Fields, Jennifer J. Flaming, Corbin R. Fleckenstein, Jewel E. Freeman, Pamela L. Fritts, Haley Fuger-Bellamy, Marlee Gallagher, Rett Garwick, Brianna L. Gelineau, Heather L. Gerasimyuk, Faith Gerasimyuk, Oleg O. Germain, Katherine R. Gibbs, Kassandra Y. Gimm, Maia M. Godfrey, Sarah L. Godin, Amber M. Gonzalez, Emily Goss, Allison Grant, Katrina J. Grant, Shanelle Greenwood, Nichole A. Gregory, John Grimes, Jennifer Grubb, Amber S. Grubbs, Frank Hacker, Desiree P.

Hall, Abigail Hall, Menda M. Hamman, Grace M. Hancey, Mason S. Harris, Alana M. Harrison, Caitlyn Haskin, Travis D. Haug, Sydney Heath, Joehanna Heath, Natalia L. Henderson, Ben A. Herndon, Libieann F. Herseim, Alison Hill, Jasmine Holbrook, Mary K. Holland, Hailey A. Holston, Briana Hoover, Myah B. Horcsik, Judith F. Houser, Katey Howard, Devan Howell-West, Tracia M. Hracha, Tristan Huckleberry, Michealla D. Hughes, Stewart Hughes, Carrie Hull, Mikaela M. Hull, Cynthia Hull, Erin Humenik, Emily D. Hupfer, Michelle Hushower, Tobin J. Hutchins, Amanda M. Imgrund, Esme James, Faith James-Wallace, Karolyn M. John, Emma M. Johnson, Rachael Johnson, Megan K. Johnston, Emily M. Jones-Young, Rhiannon H. Jordan, Ella M. Kakaruk, Angela Kanongataa, Kalina A. Kantrowitz, Carly Kara, Abby J. Keena, Jaime M. Keller, Brooklyn J. Keller, Megan M. Kelly, Vaughn W. Kennedy, Madison T. Kessler, Paige M. Killebrew, Aryanna B. Knagin, Karissa Knight, Justin A. Kolb, Julia G. Kopsack, Brooklyn D. Kosht, Julia E. Kraemer, Kelsey M. Kramer, Aubrey K. Krasnesky, Kairstyn Krueger, Chami Krull, Joshua Kuzina, Ethan E. Lake, Rima J. Laret, Sally Lauger, Tyler Lawson, Hailey Layton, Jared N. Leadbetter, Allison D. Leigh, Whitney Lein, Janice Leonard, Carol G. Leonard, Tiffany Michelle S. Leshchinskiy, Angela Leuthold, Roma Lyn Lewis, Alexandria Link, Emily M. Livingston, Keely Livingston, Marin J. Lochner, Alexis L. Loggins, Alisha A. Loggins, Benjamin Long, Laurel Lopez Conant Harrison, Rhyann T. Lorang, Cindy M. Ludwig, Margaret L. Ludwig, Paul B. Lytle, Gregory A. Madel, Skylar Madruga, Vanessa L. Mahoney, Jacob W. Mangione, Angelo C. Marie, Kailah M. Marsden, Ashley B. Martin, Adrienne Maxwell, Emily K. Mayer, Nathan Mayo, Brandi L. McAdams, Christina L. McCarthy, Sophia McCarthy, David McClure, Carrie M. McDonald, Madison McDonell, Gene A. McDowell, Kimberly McHenry, Laura Mckown, Joslyn E. McMullian, Suzanne D. McNinch, Alexandra N. Menard, Harrison L. Merrill, Autumn M. Metcalf, Alyssa M. Michael, Neve M. Minnick-Whaley, Gracie Mitchell, Carol L. Molina, Desiree C. Monear, Josey Monroe, Connor W. Montanez, Emily S. Moritz, Noel C. Morris, Mariah M. Morrison, Emily Mukaabya, Malachi J. Myrvold, Ruth C. Nardini, Axyle T. Neiser, Giselle B. Nelson, Taylor J. Newcity, Colleen M. Nicholi, Larissa Nielsen, Sommer Norman, Gracie L. Odenthal, Cariera L. Oliver, Joseph D. Olson, Kristine E. Olson, Ronnie Ortiz, Lydia R. Osterkamp Bernowski, Rebecca Oswald, Alyssa R. Pair, Madison Palmer, Lena M. Pasa, Anika P.

Patrimonio-Raval, Rio-Morgan Payton, Emily K. Pehrson, Kyra Phillips, Skye Pickard, Kristen Pickett, Angel-Skie M. Piersma, Grace J. Pilipaka, Leana Pirtle, Ashly Polston, Ashley A. Porterfield, Elise M. Priebe, Jenna Provo, Emilie Quincy, Kimberly Rabe, Kristin Rafferty, Ella O. Rahn, Casey N. Ranchoff, Aiko Ratcliff, Margarita A. Rayback, Roshan S. Read, Aden C. Regallo, Holly M. Reintsma, Josie J. Reynolds-Rogers, Terri S. Rhoads, Naneth T. Rhodes, Brittany J. Richards, Noah T. Richardson, Madeline Richardson, Micaiah J. Richey, Ian J. Rindal, Megan Ritala, Anne L. Rivera, Miguel Robert, Zalah J. Roberts, Chailyn Robinson, Brooklyn Roper, Esther Roper, Abigail Rosas, Soveyra Ross, Jacob M. Rusher, Leiah K. Russell, Cheyenne M. Sadley, Danielle Sanchez, Joshua D. Sanchez, Brian Sanchez, Malinda Sandall, Cassandra Sanders, Shawn M. Sanderson, Kelsey Schachle, Michael C. Schorr, Kiana D. Schweitzer, Teresa L. Severance, Charles Shaffer, Stacy Shaw, Josey Shelley, Lindsey K. Short, Riley A. Shuey, Wyndsor Simmerman, Savanna L. Simonton, Madi L. Sinenko, Tanya Skube, Drew T. Slack, Haley L. Slatter, Jennifer J. Sliwinski, Jiaping C. Smith, Melody Smith, Abigail K. Smith, Claire C. Snively, Samuel R. Soares, Haley R. Solari, Lisa R. Soliday, Tori Solis, Livia J. Spatafore, Mary Spear, Sabrina E. Spear, Jenelle Spencer, Daniel Sperry, Mattison E. Spiegel, Olivia D. Sprouse, Amy R. Starkweather, Christine M. Stavenjord, Brooke Stenger, Colton D. Stevenson, Lexi Stone, Gabrielle L. Straub, Ava J. Strolle, Kirsten M. Sullivan, Kristina D. Swain, Maureen K. Swain, Audrey G. Swain, Monroe M. Syverson, Lori L. Tapey, Tasha Tate, Glenna Taylor, Micah J. Thomas, Carly L. Thomas-Vasquez, Kristin Thompson, Allison Thompson, Racquel Tira, Aiyslin Townsend, Susan M. Trimmer, Rebecca A. Underwood, Tristan Utkin, Kelly Venema, Rieken P. Venema, Jacob Verley, Alysia Verplancke, Kiana B. Vincent, Jeffrey S. Vinette, John Walker, Carol J. Ward, Samantha M. Ward, Jillian Wargo, Mary Warta, Paul Waterhouse, Natalie A. Weiss, Taylee L. Wheeler, Alexander White, Annalee V. White, Jennifer M. Whitlatch, Megan J. Whitmire-Polis, April D. Wicks, Brooklyn R. Widman, Brett Williams, Amy L. Williams, Teyonnah S. Winn, Victoria A. Winter, Danielle R. Worden, Jacob A. Woyce, Zoe L. Wright, Casey M. Wright, Alexia P. Yaskus, Madalyn Zellmer, Xia Y. Zimin, Rana M. Zivotic, Alexandra Zugg, Maisie G. Zuyus, Raegan M. Zuyus, Tricia Zweifel, Jocelyn J.

The Foundation 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. Applications for MSHF academic scholarships will be accepted again beginning in January 2024, but vocational scholarships are accepted year-round. More information can be found at healthymatsu.org.

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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.