Gathering for the announcement of this year’s Wheeling Hospital Auxiliary scholarship honorees are, front from left: President and CEO Douglass Harrison; Auxiliary President Rowena Baker; scholarship winners Isabella Roth, Madison Beckett, Alexis Paras, Margaret Hartzell and Marie Wilhelm; and Auxiliary Scholarship Chairperson Peggy Swearingen. In the back are Guest Services Director Sheri Harvey and Wheeling Hospital Vice President and General Counsel Bruce Archer. Scholarship winners unable to attend for photo were Loryn Ramsey and Adesh Urval.
The Auxiliary of WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital recently awarded its annual higher education scholarships to teen volunteers. This year, seven high school seniors representing three schools received the honor.
Peggy Swearingen, Auxiliary Scholarship chairperson, presented the students with scholarships each worth $1,000 a year for four years. With the addition of the latest recipients, the auxiliary will be pledging $33,000 in 2021-2022 academic year.
To be eligible for this scholarship, a Junior Volunteer must be a current high school senior with a minimum of 150 hours of volunteer service at the hospital. They must be entering into a health related college curriculum and carry a 2.5 high school GPA. Each applicant must complete a scholarship application including an essay on how their volunteer experience influenced their career choice.
Receiving the 2021 scholarships were:
- Madison Beckett, daughter of Kristen and Rob Beckett – Bellaire High School
- Margaret Hartzell, daughter of Marcy and Jamie Hartzell – Wheeling Central Catholic
- Alexis Paras, daughter of Cindy and Bill Paras – Wheeling Central Catholic
- Loryn Ramsey, daughter of Michele and Bryan Ramsey – Wheeling Park
- Isabella Roth, daughter of Tracy Roth and Jason Roth – Wheeling Park
- Adesh Urval, son of Dr. and Mrs. Shashi Urval – Wheeling Park
- Marie Wilhelm, daughter of Brenda and Nathan Wilhelm – Wheeling Park
Together these students have given a combined total of 730 service hours at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital.
“I am so proud of these students,” Sheri Harvey, director of Volunteer/Guest Services, said, “Despite the many changes and restrictions during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, they worked hard to rearrange their schedules and online learning to be able to volunteer and obtain the requirements to apply for the Auxiliary of Wheeling Hospital scholarship. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to be able to help assist and serve our patients and visitors.”