By Kathy L. Collins
On Tuesday, May 27 the medical staff at Brandon Regional Hospital awarded 20 $1,000 scholarships to students graduating from area high schools. The scholarships were presented by Brandon Regional Hospital’s Chief of the Medical Staff Dr. Michael Siegman and Dr. Joseph Corcoran, Chief Medical Officer.
The high school scholarship recipients are selected from high schools located in Eastern Hillsborough County. Additional scholarships are awarded to hospital employee dependents.
The following individuals were selected to receive the 2014 Medical Staff Scholarships: Tahina Fils-Aime, East Bay High School; Tiffany Goller, Brandon High School; Kaitlyn Kepics, Spoto High School; Krista Lane, Riverview High School; Brian Laxton, Newsome High School; Leticia Mandujano, Strawberry Crest High School; Lauren McCulllum, Bloomingdale High School; Lauren Pilley, East Bay High School; Brianna Tinsley, Armwood High School; and Jessica Williams, Durant High School.
The following dependents of Brandon Regional Hospital employees were selected: Julia Brinkley; Andres Caraballo; Dominque Cruickshank; George Francis; Julienne Javier-Ramos; Phillip Joseph; Rachael Moore; Hunter Sutherland; Olivia Wederbrand; and Matthew Wisecarver.
The annual scholarships are funded through the dues that physicians pay to be a member of the medical staff at Brandon Regional Hospital. Dr. Siegman said, “We feel it is important to foster education in the community. There were a record number of applicants this year. All of the applicants were strong in academics.”
The scholarship recipients come from diverse backgrounds. Fils-Aime will attend Florida A&M University and major in nursing. “Ever since I was little I wanted to work with kids,” she said. Not all of the recipients will study the sciences. Laxton plans to attend Ave Maria University in Naples and major in history and become a teacher. “I’ve always been known as a giving person. That is why I want to be a teacher so I can help someone else,” said Laxton.
Applications for the scholarships are made available in January. The Medical Executive Committee at Brandon Regional Hospital review the applications and select the recipients based on overall achievement and excellence.
Brandon Regional Hospital is located at 119 Oakfield Dr. in Brandon. For more information, visit www.BrandonRegionalHospital.com.
