Each year, the Clara Barton Hospital Foundation awards scholarships to applicants interested in pursuing a degree in the medical field. These scholarships have been funded through scholarship endowments that have been established over the years. This year, the Foundation awarded six scholarships, totaling $3,000.
The Verda Lane scholarship was made possible through an endowment established by her family in honor of her years of dedicated nursing service. The scholarship assists students in their academic pursuit to become a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). This year, the Verda Lane scholarship was awarded to Krista Schneider of Olmitz and Theresa Demel of Leawood. Schneider is a former graduate from Hoisington High School (Class of 2018) and currently a student at Fort Hays State University. She will begin the nursing program at FHSU in the fall. From a young age, Schneider experienced firsthand the impact nurses have on their patients and was passionate about helping others. In high school, she received her CNA and gained experience in the medical field, which solidified her decision to pursue a nursing career. Schneider continues to work as a CNA while in school and plans to become either a Pediatric Nurse or a Labor and Delivery Nurse. She is considering continuing her education even further to possibly become a Nurse Practitioner and looks forward to the challenges and opportunities a nursing career will hold. Theresa Demel is currently a student at Rockhurst University and has been in the Research College of Nursing program since 2019. Once she graduates from Nursing School, she is interested in working at either a dermatologist’s office, a primary care provider’s office, or a naturopathic doctor’s office. Having a long line of family members in the medical field, Demel chose a career in nursing for the variety of different career opportunities she will have in vastly different fields of nursing. She is excited to attain her BSN and looks forward to making a positive impact in her patients’ lives.
The Jonathan Witt Scholarship supports students planning to pursue a healthcare professional curriculum. This scholarship is the oldest scholarship offered, having been continually awarded since the formation of the Hospital Auxiliary organization in the 1950’s. The auxiliary members voted to rename the scholarship in 2004 and established an endowment with the Foundation in honor of Jonathan Witt, son of Dr. Dan and Sandi Witt. This year, the scholarships were awarded to Maleigha Schmidt of Hoisington and Brett Liebl of Claflin. Schmidt is a former graduate from Hoisington High School (Class of 2019) and currently a student at Fort Hays State University, planning to major in Biology (Pre-Med). Always wanting to pursue a career in the medical field, she witnessed firsthand the positive impact doctors have had on her family and it solidified her decision to pursue a medical degree. After receiving a Pre-Med degree, Schmidt’s goal is to attain a Doctorate of Anesthesiology and return to the area, hoping to make the same positive impact on the lives of others. Brett Liebl is a former graduate from Central Plains High School (Class of 2019) and currently a student at Fort Hays State University, majoring in Sport and Exercise Therapy. As a high school athlete, Liebl benefited from physical therapy and wants to help others recover from their injuries as he did. During his first year of college, he took a variety of classes that solidified his career choice in the physical therapy field. After graduating from FHSU, Liebl will attend Physical Therapy school and earn a doctorate degree to become a Physical Therapist.
The Sadie Stalcup Scholarship was established in more recent years to honor Sadie Stalcup, a long-time nurse at Clara Barton Hospital. This year, two scholarships were awarded to Marisa Jonas of Hoisington and Delaney Rugan of Claflin. Jonas is a former graduate of Hoisington High School (Class of 2016) and lifetime resident of Hoisington. She graduated from Fort Hays State University in May with her bachelor’s degree in Science and will be attending Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry in the fall. After observing a local optometrist, Jonas fell in love with the profession. She enjoys the patient interaction, diversity of cases, variety of patient treatments, and seeing patient satisfaction. After professional school, Jonas would like to return to the area and give back to the community that raised her. Delaney Rugan is a recent graduate from Central Plains High School. From a young age, she has had a passion for the medical field and a love of children, which influenced her decision to become a Pediatrician. Rugan plans to attend Kansas State University in the fall to major in Biology and then hopes to be accepted into the University of Kansas Medical School to complete her medical degree. After graduating, she plans to move back to the central Kansas area so she can care for the families of those that helped shape her into the person she is today. She has a long-term goal of participating in medical mission trips, volunteering and providing care to children in poverty-stricken countries but ultimately looks forward to returning to the area and providing care to those in our community.
Anyone interested in making a contribution to any of these endowments or to the Clara Barton Foundation can visit www.clarabartonhospital.com, contact the Foundation at 620-653-5012 or mail their tax-deductible contribution to P.O. Box 25 Hoisington, Kansas 67544.
