Morris Hospital Foundation Awards Healthcare Scholarships
June 30, 2023 – The Morris Hospital Foundation recently awarded 12 scholarships to area students who are pursuing education in healthcare-related fields.
Recipients of the $1,000 Relucio Family Healthcare Scholarship established by retired Morris Hospital surgeon Dr. Ed Relucio and his wife, Marizon, are:
- Felicity Emmerich of Morris, who will be attending St. Ambrose University to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Pre-Med this fall.
- Veronica Wreck of Wilmington, who will begin a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science at Illinois State University in the fall.
Recipients of the $1,000 Carol Harrington Endowed Scholarship named in honor of Morris Hospital’s former Vice-President of Patient Care Services who retired in 2008 after 43 years of service are:
- Bryce Claypool of Morris, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Concordia University-Wisconsin;
- Kylee Claypool of Morris, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at St. Ambrose University;
- Sophie Hipes of Morris, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Illinois State University; and
- Lauren Machetta of Marseilles, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Valparaiso University.
Additionally, the Morris Hospital Foundation awards three $1,000 scholarships annually to Morris Hospital employees and their dependents who are pursuing an education in healthcare. This year’s recipients are:
- Jenna Emmons of Coal City, who is currently completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at University of St. Francis in Joliet. Emmons is currently a Rehabilitation Assistant at Morris Hospital.
- Harmony Neal of Verona, who is currently pursuing a Registered Nurse degree at Joliet Junior College. Neal is the daughter of Deanna Neal, a Registration/Scheduling Representative at the Morris Hospital Diamond-Coal City Campus.
- Mackenzie Zweeres of Morris, who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing at Florida Atlantic University. Zweeres is a CNA on at Morris Hospital.
This year, the Morris Hospital Foundation Scholarship committee selected three recipients to each receive a $5,000 Hugo Avalos Endowed Scholarship, established in honor of the late Dr. Hugo Avalos for students who have been accepted into or is currently enrolled in an accredited medical school, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant program. The 2023 Hugo Avalos Endowed Scholarship winners are:
- Kaitlyn Forehand of Morris, who has been accepted into the Illinois College of Optometry starting in the fall of 2023;
- Julia Long of Marseilles, who is pursuing a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Mo.;
- Sai Krupa Rajaramsiva of Des Plaines, who is pursuing an Allopathic Medicine (MD) degree from Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.
The Morris Hospital Foundation awards the healthcare scholarships annually. Applications for the 2024 scholarships will be available in February 2024.
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