Healthcare Scholarship Program Awards Collegeville Graduates

PHOENIXVILLE, PA -- The Greater Phoenixville Healthcare Scholarship Program has been providing college scholarships since 1995. Since then over one hundred scholarships have been awarded to high school graduates pursuing health-related careers.

All graduating seniors who are pursuing careers in a health-related field of study are eligible to apply. The program draws from Phoenixville area school districts that include Great Valley, Methacton, Owen J. Roberts, Perkiomen Valley, Phoenixville, Pottsgrove and Spring-Ford School Districts, as well as the Technical College High School-Pickering Campus, and Pope John Paul II. This year ,19 students applied for the scholarships representing Phoenixville, Perkiomen Valley, Spring-Ford, Owen J. Roberts, Methacton high schools, as well as, the Renaissance Academy. Seven scholarships were awarded.

Xavier Ferrizzi of Pottstown will graduate from Owen J. Roberts High School and will be attending Rider University majoring in Biology/Pre-Med. “My goal is to graduate medical school with a focus on orthopedics, driven by my interest in sports and my desire to help student athletes achieve their goals. I understand that this educational and career path will be a challenging and competitive track. I am committed to my educational goals and the work which is required to achieve them so that I can pursue my dreams of helping the next generation of student athletes overcome their injuries.”

Veronica Flores of Phoenixville will graduate from Phoenixville Area High School and will be attending Alvernia University majoring in Nursing. “When I was eight I discovered a white box with a symbol on it that captivated my attention. It was a sort of magical box that was used to help people with wounds. Since that moment on, I knew my passion for nursing would be endless. My ultimate goal is to become a neonatal nurse practitioner. Nursing is a genuine competitive and pursued field. Hospitals and care centers will demand the services of more nurses. Those future nurses are students like myself who plan to work hard and become the future caregivers of patients. ”

Marlaina Gehret of Royersford will graduate from Spring-Ford High School and will be attending Cornell University majoring in Biomedical Engineering. “I attended an engineering camp at Bucknell University. The camp provided a diverse opportunity to learn about various engineering disciplines from biomaterials to aeronautics. The experience of the camp as well as the knowledge and zeal of the professors intensified my enthusiasm for biomedical engineering. I am excited to participate in the application of science by designing and creating equipment for the healthcare industry to strengthen overall health for our society. My end goal is to leverage my collegiate experience into a career that will challenge and allow me to grown professionally and personally.”

Ngan Kim Pham of Spring City will graduate from Owen J. Roberts High School and will be attending Immaculata University majoring in Physical Therapy. “While taking my Mom to physical therapy I noticed posters illustrating human bone and muscle structures. These posters drew my attention and made me want to learn more. I became even more excited when the physical therapist used the poster to explain the causes on my mom’s pain. I understand the process of studying physical therapy in college will be quite a challenge. With all of my dedication and effort, I am confident that I can achieve my career goal. I want to pursue my goal of becoming a physical therapist because it gives me the opportunity to physically, mentally and emotionally assist a diverse array of people recovering from pain.”

Nicholas Pompizzi of Collegeville will graduate from Spring-Ford High School and will be attending Penn State University majoring in Health Science/PT. “In high school I discovered a love for anatomy and found the different parts of the body and how they work very interesting. A career in physical therapy would allow me to treat patients and improve their condition so that they can return to normal functions. Twenty-five hours of shadowing also exposed me to what a physical therapist does throughout the day. During my lifetime, I have known several people who have received benefit from physical therapy. It is a growing and dynamic area of medicine. It would be a privilege to work in this field.”

Nicole Romano of Phoenixville will graduate from the Renaissance Academy and will be attending Gwynedd Mercy University majoring in Radiologic Technology. “Since I was young, I have had various medical concerns and have had a countless amount of interactions with different medical staff. My goal is to become a radiologic technologist and eventually gain more experience and education to become a radiologist assistant. Having a career in this field is important and meaningful to me and it also pushes me to not only become a better student, but a better person. I choose this career not only because I love science and medicine, but because I want to go to work every day to put a smile on a patient’s face.”

Jonathan Westlake of Pottstown will graduate from Owen J. Roberts High School and will be attending the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University majoring in Biology. “After a sports injury my orthopedic doctor went into great depth about healthcare and modern medicine. He seemed to genuinely care about my well-being. He described his job as an orthopedic surgeon, he lead me to find my love in healthcare. Last summer I shadowed this doctor through consultations and operations. By familiarizing myself in the world of orthopedic surgery before college, I have cemented my future aspirations of a career in healthcare by falling in love with the profession so that one day I am able to provide the personalized care that made such a vast difference to me in my own rehabilitation periods.”

These scholarships are funded by the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation and the Phoenixville Hospital Medical Staff – seven scholarships in all. All scholarships are $8,000 payable over four years.

Lynn Pike Hartman, Vice President-Programs with the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation facilitates the Scholarship Selection activities. The Selection Committee was Phoenixville Community Health Foundation Board members: Chuck Benz, Timothy Durkin, Lauren Eustice and Anna Mae Galbraith.