Congratulations to the Winners of the 2018 CIA Medical Scholarship!
We are pleased to announce the thirteen recipients of the 2018 CIA Medical Scholarship! These outstanding students received financial awards for their post-secondary education based on essays they submitted recognizing a healthcare worker who made a positive impact in their life. CIA values the dedication of healthcare professionals and how they care for their patients – we recognize that they are in positions to touch the lives of so many in serving their communities every day.
Congratulations! We are proud to support the scholarship award winners and wish them continued success in reaching their educational and professional goals.
CIA Medical Scholarship 2018 Top Award Winners
In alphabetical order.
Christina Anne Bowman
Christina Anne Bowman
Laramie County Community College | Health Information Technology Management
“For 10 years I have been a stay at home mom, more often than not, a single mom while my husband has had countless deployments. My career goal is to manage the administrative side of a surgery center, but with this degree I have flexibility of finding employment as we continue to move often.”
On the civilian doctor who treated her daughter when she was stationed in Japan, Christina says, “Dr. Marshall embodies the oath doctor’s take to save lives and I only wish more doctors had his fortitude and perseverance. Being in the military, I am surrounded by selfless hero’s, but no one is more of a hero then Dr. Marshall and we will be forever thankful for sacrificing his job for my daughter’s life.”
Amie Drammeh
Amie Drammeh
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer University | Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing
“My mother is a Microbiologist who wore scrubs to work and I can recall myself eagerly dressing up in her scrubs on school Career Day. It was not until my third year of high school that I began to strongly consider becoming a nurse. Shortly after, I decided to pursue a career in nursing after my volunteer experience during my final year of high school at a Faith-based-clinic, Shifa Clinic in Duluth, Georgia.”
On the doctor who helped her grandmother, Amie says, “Dr. Njie was an extraordinary kind and talented doctor and nice person. He showed a lot of empathy and treated my grandmother like it was his obligation and like his own family.”
Gabriel Curtis Martinez
Gabriel Curtis Martinez
Colorado Mesa University | Mechanical Engineering
“The options are limitless of what I could do with my Mechanical Engineering degree, but I believe I would like to design and create medical devices, prosthetics, or medical tools to help people be pain free or assist them to be able to have freedoms physically that they may not otherwise have.
“The woman I call ‘Nana’ is my hero. She honors the patients she cares for by giving them the best care she possibly can, going above and beyond and many have claimed that she saved their lives. She doesn’t have to do little things like help a person shave, but she will take the time to help them because she knows it helps lift their spirits and make them feel as ‘normal’ as they can while she is caring for them.”
CIA Medical Scholarship 2018 Award Recipients
In alphabetical order.
Hana Abed
Hana Abed
Taft College | Dental Hygiene
“I plan to use my Dental Hygiene license not only in clinical practice but also hope to do volunteer work traveling to poverty stricken areas of the world to teach about oral care and preventative practices to avoid serious dental issues.”
On the nurse who cared for her uncle in Gaza, she writes, “Although things didn’t pan out the way we all wished they would, Nurse Amna saw my uncle as an individual who needed her and gave my family hope when they had none. Watching her do so graciously and passionately, no matter the circumstance was inspiring to me and provided the foundation upon which I have set my own career goals.”
Nasrin Ahmed
Nasrin Ahmed
Oakland University | Nutrition
“My major is in a health science related field: nutrition, and my goal after getting my bachelors is to work towards getting certified as a registered dietitian. Opening up my own practice would be something I would also like to do. I am very interested in helping people and I feel like teaching as many as possible about how to live a healthier life would be beneficial for them in the future.”
On the paramedic that responded to a vehicular collision that affected her family, Nasrin writes, “The saying goes, ‘All it takes is one small act of kindness.’ Anne showed me more kindness and empathy that night than I had ever experienced in my entire life. She stayed much longer past her shift to make sure we were on our way safely.”
Eliza Beall
Eliza Beall
Trinity University
“Between the physical therapy, the doctor’s visits, and the rehab, I spent a lot of my childhood in hospitals. Even more importantly, I had seen how medicine can transform a person’s life. The challenge of my early health problems only strengthened my character in the sense of awareness, sensitivity, and gratitude. It has heightened my empathy for others. Most importantly, it has created in me a fierce determination to help others the way my surgeon helped me.
“The one constant (other than my mother) was my physical therapist, Kevin McHorse. He was the one who insisted I stay in sports, like swimming and dance, to keep the muscles I had working. He even sprayed the floor with shaving cream so I could scoot across it on a mat. Because sometimes physical therapy needs to be fun.”
Brynne Conroy
Brynne Conroy
Clarion University of Pennsylvania | Anthropology Major
“As the therapist has done for my child, I hope my work will allow individuals and communities to live their best lives, amplifying the beauty of our differences and reducing the judgements we pass on each other because of them.”
On her daughter’s occupational therapist, Brynne writes, “Debbie knew what my daughter needed because of her professional background, knowledge and experience. She had the patience to withstand tantrums, and wisdom which enabled her to discern between stubbornness and sensory overload. People like Debbie don’t just change one child’s life. They change the world for entire families, and—by extension—entire communities.”
Jenna DiMiceli
Jenna DiMiceli
Carroll University
“My dream job would be to work in a developing country specifically focusing on women’s rights, human trafficking, and violence against women. My short term goals to reaching this position is to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree, get a job to gain real-world work experience, and then go back to school and earn my Master’s degree in Public Health.
“My dad is the person who inspired me to get involved in healthcare as a little girl. He would tell me stories about his day, how he got to be the one to physically massage a heart to keep it beating during open-heart surgery, saving lives, and caring for the sickest of the sick. I remember sitting there as a fascinated little seven year old, thinking my dad was a superhero, knowing that someday I wanted to save people’s lives just like him.”
Jillian Doran Bingham
Jillian Doran Bingham
Grand Valley State University
“My journey through health issues has allowed me to experience the other side of patient care, especially after witnessing compassionate doctors and nurses who saved my life. I am currently enrolled in pre-requisites for the second-degree nursing program. Gaining experience as a nurse, I will work for two to three years while following up with a dual degree of family nurse practitioner and nurse midwife.
“It’s my turn to represent each of these people who gave their all to be there for me—to continue this cycle of grace and kindness and selflessness. I want to pass down their virtues into each of my patients staying late into the night to hug them when bad news is given, holding the hand of someone scared before surgery, or showing bravery and hope in the face of uncertainty.”
Carson Macik
Carson Macik
Yale University | Philosophy and Economics
“This fall, I will attend Yale University. I am persistent and seasoned at facing adversity, which has resulted in the fierce ‘get your hands dirty’ attitude that is the foundation of my accomplishments.”
On his mother, who is a primary care physician and the founder of the practice Uncommon Healthcare, he writes, “To me, she became an inspiration. Diving in without any previous business experience, she showed me that performing quality work with an attention to the needs of others should be the number one aim for any business owner, including healthcare workers. Her passionate spirit and flexible intellect are truly astounding, setting the standard for all doctors who want to provide the best care for patients.”
Taylor Schalk
Taylor Rose Schalk
Carroll University
“My career goals actually are to begin with elementary education, but eventually become a child life specialist.”
On her child life specialist, she writes, “Steph would bring toys up to the floor and hide them in order to encourage kids to walk around. It is nearly impossible to get some younger kids up after an operation. With Steph’s encouragement, I saw so many kids get up and move around. In addition to helping kids, she also makes sure that parents are coping. She develops relationships with them, just as she does with the kids. Truly, I don’t think anyone can feel as if they are going through their struggle alone if Steph is there. There is a presence about her that makes you feel safe, and her knowledge about the hospital will help anyone get through their stay.”
Monica Storozyszyn
Monica Storozyszyn
Oklahoma City University | Nursing
On her nurse and diabetes educator, Kim, she writes, “Her efforts to improve the lives of countless children with diabetes across the state have never ceased – she teaches young people and their families about living with a disease while ensuring places like Camp Endres [for children with diabetes] exist, so that they have a safe place to test the waters and gain some independence.”
“I received a BA in Political Science with honors in 2008, just before I left for two years of service with Peace Corps in Ukraine. As a nurse, I hope to continue the tradition of service that began working at camp with Kim and extended into Ukraine, and I would like this second degree process to reflect that, as well.”
Haley Whitt
Haley Whitt
University of Maryland School of Nursing
“My short-term goals include becoming a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) and helping my patients to the best of my ability. My academic preparation will facilitate my contributions to the health care system because my education will be continuous.”
On her grandmother’s hospice workers, she writes, “If it were not for their meticulous care and commitment, this experience would have been immensely worse for my family and me. People sometimes tend to take the ‘easy way out’ of difficult events because they are afraid of challenges and do not know how to deal with failure. The bravery that these healthcare workers had, in order to take care of my family, is a quality that I will always admire.”
Apply for CIA Medical’s 2019 Scholarship Today
CIA Medical’s annual scholarship was established to celebrate the achievements of post-secondary students and provide financial assistance with their academic pursuits. We award the scholarships based on essays that the students submit which recognize the impact of healthcare professionals on their lives.
For more information and to apply to the CIA Medical Scholarship, click here.
