Each year, the Buhl Regional Health Foundation has the privilege of supporting graduating seniors who are preparing to pursue careers that strengthen the health, safety, and wellbeing of our community. Through the BRHF Scholarship Program, each recipient receives a $5,000 award to help support their journey through higher education or specialized training.
Congratulations to our 2026 scholarship recipients! These students represent the future of our community — individuals who have chosen paths that will allow them to make a difference in the lives of others, whether through direct care professions, community support roles, or other fields that help create a stronger, more thriving region.
This year’s scholarship applicants were asked to reflect on the communities they call home, including the strengths they see, the challenges that remain, and the ways they hope to contribute to a better future. Their essays explored topics connected to the Rippel Foundation’s *Seven Vital Conditions for a Thriving Community, including belonging, lifelong learning, humane housing, and access to the resources people need to thrive.
While these essays helped us identify this year’s scholarship recipients, they also provided something equally valuable: insight into how young people view their communities and what they believe is needed to build a brighter future. Their perspectives help inform our own work at BRHF, and we are currently developing a report that will share themes and insights gathered from their responses.
We are grateful to each student who took the time to share their ideas, experiences, and hopes for the future. Their voices remind us that meaningful community change begins by listening — and that the next generation has important ideas to offer.
We wish our 2026 scholarship recipients continued success as they begin this next chapter. We are proud to support their educational journeys and look forward to seeing the impact they will make in our community and beyond.
Congratulations to our 2026 BRHF Scholarship Recipients:
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- Willow Phillips Sharon High School Oberlin College Global Health
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- Kadence Westcott Jamestown High School Kent State University Biology
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- Tyson Hawkins Greenville High School West Virginia University Nursing (BSN)
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- Morgan Habarka Grove City Area HS University of Pittsburgh Nutrition
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- Lexie Frazier Hickory High School Slippery Rock University Exercise Science
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- Lexa Yasnowski Farrell High School Clarion University Medical Imaging
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- Lana Griswold Reynolds HS Laurel Technical Institute Respiratory Therapy
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- Kathryn Engles Reynolds HS CNA Certificate Nursing
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- Justin Sims Sharon High School Edinboro University Public Administration
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- Emma Gourley Sharpsville HS Slippery Rock University Occupational Therapy
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- Cora Jones West Middlesex HS University of Mount Union Nursing (BSN)
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- Ava Iacino Hickory High School Indiana University of Pennsylvania Nursing
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- Alexis Mathieson Grove City HS University of Pittsburgh Physical Therapy
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- Arianna Enoch Hickory HS John Carroll University Biology
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- Adam Speice Grove City HS PennWest University of Clarion Nursing
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- Tierney Scullin Kennedy Catholic HS John Carroll University Neuroscience
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- Reese Brewster Hickory HS Mercyhurst University Biochemistry (Pre-Med)
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- Mya Paulden Reach Cyber Charter School Penn Western – Clarion Biology (Pre-Med)
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- Maggie Bowman Mercer HS Duquesne University Nursing (BSN)
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- Leiara Ferguson Grove City HS University of Kentucky Nursing
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- Kylie Kimpan West Middlesex HS Liberty University Nursing (BSN)
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- Kaden Hoovler Sharpsville HS Slippery Rock University Exercise Science
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- John Rumelfanger Hickory HS University of Utah Chemistry
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- Hayden Matchak Hickory High School University of Pittsburgh Dental Hygiene
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- Gabriel Titus Sharpsville HS Carlow University Exercise Science/Human Performance
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- Ethan Springer Sharpsville HS West Virginia University Pre-Med
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- Emma Iacino Hickory HS Indiana University of PA Nursing
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- Ella Stillwagon Grove City HS Bloomsburg University Exercise Science
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- Ella Fiscus Hickory HS University of Pittsburgh Pre-Med
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- Cami Parillo Greenville HS West Virginia University Nursing
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- Brynna Miller Grove City HS University of Pittsburgh Pre-Health/Pre-PA
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- AnnaSophia Viccari West Middlesex HS Ohio University Exercise and Sports Physiology
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- Anna Allen Mercer HS Penn State University Biobehavioral Health
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- Alyssa Flick Wilmington Area HS Westminster College Nursing
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- Addison Ruth Greenville HS Penn West – Clarion Medical Imaging
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- Aiden Thompson West Middlesex HS University of Findlay Pre-Veterinary Medicine
NOT PICTURED:
Jordyn Jackson, Farrell HIgh School, Lincoln University, Psychology
Anna Rowe, Mercer High School, Ohio Northern University, Pharmacy
Ella Tokar, Greenville High School, Kent State, Nursing