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Four earn PHH Spirit of Service scholarships

(From left) Joshua Zahm, Victoria Keiffer and Rebecca Allen.
(From left) Joshua Zahm, Victoria Keiffer and Rebecca Allen. Photos provided.

Four students majoring in healthcare-related college studies are the recipients of Parkview Huntington Spirit of Service scholarships for 2020.

The scholarships, for $1,500 each, have been awarded to Huntington residents Nan Hammel and Joshua Zahm, as well as to Victoria Keiffer, of Andrews and Rebecca Allen, a Huntington University student from Mattawan, MI.

Huntington County high school seniors or residents, as well as students at Huntington University, pursuing degree programs in healthcare-related fields are eligible for Spirit of Service scholarships. The recipients were selected for the awards by a review panel that included representatives of the hospital, the foundation board of directors, the hospital’s volunteer corps and the community.

Initially, there were to have been two scholarships available this year, but the review committee ultimately approved four awards.

“This was a large and exceptionally competitive group of candidates,” explained Parkview Huntington Foundation Director Mike Perkins. “The review committee had a difficult time narrowing the field to two recipients, and since adequate funds were available, decided to expand the awards this year to four.”

Hammel has been a member of the hospital’s emergency medical services team for 24 years and is a full-time paramedic on the night shift. She is working toward her registered nurse licensure at Ivy Tech in Fort Wayne while maintaining her job and family responsibilities.

Zahm is a former Navy corpsman who is seeking a bachelor of science degree in nursing at Indiana University-Fort Wayne. His career goal is to become a flight nurse. Like Hammel, he balances his studies with family life and job responsibilities, as well as membership in several local service organizations.

Keiffer is a certified nursing assistant and licensed home health aide. She is pursuing a bachelor of science degree in nursing at Goshen College with the goal of becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner. Influenced by a young family member’s journey to obtain accurate diagnosis of a rare disorder, Keiffer set her sights on service to others via a medical career. She is also very active with 4-H.

Allen is enrolled in the occupational therapy assistant program at Huntington University and her career goal is to work with visually impaired children. In addition to her studies, she is heavily involved in various ministry- and music-related activities on campus and in the wider Huntington area.

Parkview Huntington Foundation administers the Spirit of Service scholarship program, which is funded by a gift to Parkview Huntington Hospital by the former Parkview Huntington Hospital Guild. It is sustained by a portion of proceeds from the hospital’s gift shop.