Morris Hospital groups award 8 scholarships

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Updated: October 28, 2011 12:43PM

MORRIS — The Morris Hospital Auxiliary and Foundation awarded $1,000 scholarships to eight area students. The students were recognized at the annual Volunteer Appreciation luncheon at the Morris Country Club.

Andrea Phelps and Grant Magers, both of Morris, were recipients of a Morris Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship. Phelps is a sophomore at the University of St. Francis in Joliet. A certified nursing assistant, she is working toward a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Morris High School’s 2011 salutatorian, Grant Magers will attend Purdue University with the goal of receiving a doctorate in Pharmacy.

Miranda Schmidt of Newark was also a recipient of an auxiliary scholarship, which was given in memory of Maxine Burroughs. Schmidt will attend the University of Iowa’s early admittance nursing program.

For the second year, Stephanie Zitella of Coal City was awarded the $1,000 Relucio Family Healthcare Scholarship. A graduate of Coal City High School, Zitella attends Illinois State University where she is pursing a degree in nursing.

Kelsey Schluntz of Morris received the $1,000 Carol Harrington Morris Hospital Endowed Scholarship. Schluntz is also working toward a bachelor of science in nursing at Illinois State University.

The foundation also awarded three, $1,000 scholarships to Morris Hospital employees and dependents of employees who are pursuing health-care education: Kara Morrall of Morris, Suzanne Roche of Minooka and Madeline Simon of Channahon.

Morrall, a Morris High School graduate, is pursing a degree in occupational therapy at St. Louis University. Her mother, Joanne Morrall, works in physical therapy at Morris Hospital.

Roche is studying to become an occupational therapist. She is the daughter of Fay Roche, a registered nurse in Morris Hospital’s radiology department, Roche attends Western Michigan University.

Simon recently graduated from Minooka High School. She will study physical therapy at Carroll University, with plans to obtain a doctorate. Her mother, Shelley Simon, works at Morris Hospital’s Marseilles Healthcare Center.

For more information or to contribute to these scholarship programs, call Julie Wilkinson at 815-942-2932, ext. 7021.