Wheeling Hospital Auxiliary Awards Scholarships

The auxiliary of Wheeling Hospital is continuing the annual tradition of awarding scholarships to teen volunteers.

Nine high school seniors, representing six schools, recently received the honor at the auxiliary's spring dinner meeting.

Peggy Swearingen, auxiliary scholarship chair, presented the students with scholarships each worth $1,000 a year for four years. Currently, 20 former junior volunteers are receiving scholarships. With the addition of the latest recipients, the auxiliary will be pledging $29,000 in 2019-20 academic year.

Receiving the 2019 scholarships were:

– Alex Dague, son of Jerry and Kelly Dague;

– Maggie Kloss, daughter of Erich Kloss and Stacy Seidler;

– Melina McCabe, daughter of John and Kristen McCabe;

– Noah Riccelli, son of Diana and the late Randy Riccelli;

– Audrey Sebring, daughter of John and Amy Sebring;

– Ashlee Vah, daughter of Ron and Debbie Vah;

– Maria Vincenzo, daughter of Donald and Karen Vincenzo;

– Carissa Webb, daughter of Jamie and Stacy Webb;

– Emily Wright, daughter of Tim and Kelly Wright.

Together these students have given a combined total of 1,846 service hours at Wheeling Hospital. The scholarship winners represent Wheeling Park, Martins Ferry, Bridgeport, John Marshall, St. Clairsville and Buckeye Local high schools.

Each applicant must complete a scholarship application including an essay on how their volunteer experience influenced their career choice.

To be eligible for this scholarship, a junior volunteer must be a current high school senior with a minimum of 150 hours of volunteer service at Wheeling Hospital. They must be entering into a health-related college curriculum and carry a 2.5 high school grade-point average.

Riccelli also received a $500 scholarship from the auxiliary of West Virginia Hospital Association and the West Virginia Hospital Association. Twenty-seven hospitals throughout the state can submit students for these scholarships. This year, 28 scholarship applications were received and Riccelli won one of the two presented.

Sheri Harvey, Wheeling Hospital director of volunteer and guest services, said, "It is the mission of the volunteer services department to offer our junior volunteers an opportunity to provide service in many departments within the hospital and to build community with others."