The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) recognized medical students for their academic and community achievements through scholarships and employees for their commitment to educate future physicians.
The school’s annual Spring Awards Ceremony took place virtually again this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scholarship and award recipients were acknowledged during a presentation on April 1. A total of $346,814 was distributed through 30 scholarships, awards and certificates of appreciation.
Student scholarships and awards were:
The Student D.O. of the Year award acknowledges a student’s commitment to his or her school, community and the osteopathic profession. This year’s recipient was Ryan Jensen.
The Dr. Roland P. Sharp President and Foundation Award of Excellence for Student Achievement is given to a first-year student based on academic performance, osteopathic professional interest, leadership and citizenship. This year’s winner was Harrison Solomon.
WVSOM Alumni Association Scholarships are given to two students who exemplify scholarship, osteopathic professional interest, leadership and citizenship. The winners were Andrew Colebank and Haley Craig.
The Greenbrier Military School Alumni Association Scholarship is presented to two students who excel academically and show strong leadership, determination and discipline. This year’s recipients were Olivia Giambra and Harrison Solomon.
The Fredric W. Smith Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a student completing his or her second year of medical school. The student must plan to practice family medicine and have a strong interest in the school and community. The winner was Haley Craig.
The West Virginia Emulation Endowment Trust/Dr. Olen E. Jones Jr. Scholarship was established in 2016 and named after Olen E. Jones Jr., Ph.D., who served as president of WVSOM from 1987 to 2009. The scholarship is awarded to West Virginia students based on literary and scholastic attainments, morality, leadership and physical vigor. This year’s scholarship recipients were first place Haley Craig and second place Seth Graham, Abundance Hunt and Michael Yost.
The Jarrell Family Award recognizes a second-year student who is a West Virginia resident, with preference given to a female student from Raleigh, Fayette, Boone or Kanawha counties. This year’s winner was Sarah Daniel.
The Dr. William B. Mullen and Jennifer White Scholarship was created in recognition of Dr. William B. Mullen of Logan, W.Va., a physician who cared for his patient, Jennifer White, who passed away in 2011. Ashton Mullens and Kayla Vaughan were the scholarship recipients.
The Drs. Cheryl and Michael Adelman WVSOM Leadership Scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated character and leadership during their time at WVSOM and who have the potential to be future leaders in the osteopathic profession. Nathaniel Jordan was this year’s recipient.
Seven WVSOM students were recognized for receiving the Encova Scholars Award, donated by the Encova Foundation of West Virginia. This year’s recipients were Megan Farley, Lucas Goodwin, MacKenzie Sloas, Tanner Moore, Madeleine Carroll Gwinn, Anthony Aswad and Abundance Hunt.
The West Virginia State Medical Association Alliance Scholarship Fund provides scholarships for medical students from West Virginia who have a desire to practice in the state after they graduate. The alliance is an organization that comprises physician spouses, who in the fall of 2016 established an endowment at each of the three medical schools in West Virginia. This year’s WVSOM scholarship was presented to Jared Zopp.
The James R. Stookey, D.O., Manipulative Medicine Scholarship was created in honor of James Stookey, vice president for academic affairs and dean from 1988 to 2002. The scholarship is given to a student who has demonstrated proficiency in manipulative medicine. This year’s scholarship was awarded to Lindsey Ray.
The MOSS Scholarships honor the late Marlene Wager, D.O., and are presented to students who are out-of-state residents. This year, 15 students received the scholarship. They were Spencer Brewer, Gabriella Bruzzese, Eleana Estrella, Alanna Gordon, Jenny Kaiser, Trevor Lovell, Nicole Newman, Samuel Plaska, Andrea Smiley, Delanee Stapp, Jesse Tate, Luna Thapa, Devin Towne, Simon Werkhoven and Braden Zimmerman.
The Marlene Wager 10-Fingered OPP Scholarship was created by the osteopathic principles and practice department in 2008 to recognize a second-year student with outstanding skills in osteopathic manipulative treatment. Candidates are nominated and voted on by classmates. The winner has his or her name engraved on a plaque that is displayed in the osteopathic clinical skills lab. This year’s recipient was Ryan Russell.
The Paul G. Kleman, D.O., Family Practice Student Award (Kleman family and West Virginia Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians) recognizes a student who plans to use osteopathic manipulation in treating patients and is willing to instill the importance of osteopathic principles and practice in the next generation of WVSOM students. Nidhi Dheman received this year’s award.
The WVSOM Family Practice Scholarship is awarded to a second-year West Virginia student who has intentions of practicing family medicine upon graduation. The scholarship was awarded to Mary Rosiek.
The Loretta Moore Memorial Scholarship Fund recipient is chosen by first-year students and given to a classmate who has overcome obstacles in order to succeed. Julian Metro was this year’s recipient.
The Samantha Ketchem Muncy Primary Care Memorial Scholarship was established to honor Muncy, a student killed in a car accident. The scholarship is awarded to a third-year medical student from Barbour, McDowell, Taylor, Preston or Harrison counties in West Virginia who plans to remain in the state to practice in a primary care specialty. This year’s scholarship recipient was Kelsey Steele.
This was the first year for the Libby Kokott, D.O., Memorial Grant, which was established by Kokott’s four children in 2020 to honor a woman, who against all odds, became a physician at the age of 50 (from WVSOM’s Class of 1993). Kokott helped hundreds of patients in her 20 years as an internist, and her hope was that others could do the same. This year’s inaugural winner was Optimum Robinson.
The WVSOM Diversity Task Force – Eva Teter Hammer Award is given to a student who demonstrates an interest in osteopathic medicine and in eliminating the inequities of individuals. Ashnee Patel was recognized this year.
The U.S. Public Health Service Excellence in Public Health Award recognizes medical students who have positively impacted public health in their communities. It is given to a student who has developed and implemented a program advancing the overarching goals and achieving the objectives of Healthy People 2023. Consideration is also given to students who have developed and implemented a program that addresses the priorities of the National Prevention Strategy; made a significant benefit to a medically underserved community; completed research that advances the goals of Healthy People 2023 and the National Prevention Strategy; or conducted health activities in collaboration with public health agencies. This year’s recipient was Trang Vu.
The Rural Physician Service Program incentivizes WVSOM students to remain in West Virginia to practice medicine. Students agree to practice at an eligible service site within the state and receive enhanced rural health training through WVSOM’s Rural Health Initiative during medical school. The program is presented with financial assistance as a grant from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. This year’s recipients were Jaime Basham, Andrew Colebank, Jacob Redden, Keirston Sutherland and Alfredo Wong Jr.
The Choose West Virginia Practice Program is a tuition waiver program that incentivizes nonresident West Virginia medical students to remain in the state to practice. Out-of-state students accepted or enrolled at each of the three medical schools in West Virginia are eligible for the program. The recipients receive a tuition waiver for the cost difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition and agree to practice in a primary care or shortage specialty in West Virginia for a minimum of one year. The winners were Jona Dajbabic, Katerina Mastronardi and Christopher Musil.
The Student Government Association Leadership Scholarship is presented to first-, second- and third-year students who have mentored fellow students, shared their own resources to facilitate the learning of others, founded clubs or organized events and brought students together in new and creative ways. The recipients were Alanna Gordon, Abundance Hunt and Harrison Solomon (Class of 2024); Bailey Borycki, Haley Craig and Mark Haft (Class of 2023); and Brooke Grill, Abdul Mannan and Heather Reeves (Class of 2022).
The Student Government Association Character Scholarship is presented to first-, second- and third-year students who possess and demonstrate characteristics that may sometimes go unnoticed but are noted by peers. This year’s recipients were Matthew Parsley and Kayla Vaughan (Class of 2024); Sara Carder and Caroline Chen (Class of 2023); and Diana Duong and Jacob Redden (Class of 2022).
The Fredric W. Smith Community Service Award recognizes a campus organization or club that demonstrates a commitment to the Lewisburg community, the WVSOM community and classmates. The Pediatrics Club was given this year’s recognition.
A Special Award Presentation recognized Student Government Association President Jacob Paul and Vice President Cameron Brown. The award recognizes service and leadership to WVSOM and the student body.
WVSOM faculty and staff who were recognized by students were:
The Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) Integration Teaching Award is given to faculty members for their efforts in teaching and for excelling in integrating OPP into their classes. The winners were Kristin Stover, Ph.D. (biomedical sciences), Dina Schaper, D.O. (clinical sciences), and Suzan Myles, D.O. (adjunct clinical sciences preceptor).
The Atlas Club Golden Key Award is given to a biomedical sciences faculty member and clinical sciences faculty member selected by students. The recipients were Marc Benson, Ph.D., and Brian Kendall, M.D.
The Student Government Association Appreciation Recognition is given to employees by SGA members for their work and support on behalf of medical students. This year, SGA members thanked all WVSOM employees for their contributions in helping students navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.