BCBSOK awards scholarships for future rural healthcare professionals
OKLAHOMA CITY — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma awarded four$5,000 health and wellness scholarships Thursday to a selection of high school seniors who participated in the Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE).
Scholarship winners include Myka Elliott of Kingfisher, Audrey McElhaney of Elgin, Macy Nightengale of Fairview and Emma Sutton of Kiefer.
Scholarship selection is based on academic excellence, community involvement and the desire to attend an Oklahoma Higher Education Institution in pursuit of a medical degree, with the intention of focusing on health in rural Oklahoma upon graduation.
“We are proud to have partnered with Oklahoma Youth Expo for more than 10 years by providing scholarships to those seeking a career in health care,” said BCBSOK Chief Medical Officer Dr. Todd Hoffman. “These scholarships not only are an investment in the future of rural health care in Oklahoma but are also a way to support these students with the resources they need to thrive as future medical professionals.”
By investing in rural communities, BCBSOK hopes to provide more opportunities for access to affordable, quality health care and top-notch service across the state. Closing gaps in care, providing economic opportunity, addressing hunger, strengthening neighborhoods and providing locally defined solutions are just a few ways BCBSOK prioritizes rural health care.
Over the last 10 years, BCBSOK has given more than $200,000 in scholarship funding to 40 Oklahoma students studying a health-related discipline. As a proud supporter of rural health care providers and facilities, these scholarships help directly impact the future of health care professionals in rural communities across the state.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma for 82 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma has been committed to meeting the health care financing needs of Oklahomans. As the state's oldest and largest private health insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma provides health care benefit plans for more than 800,000 Oklahomans. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.