The Master of Health Administration Program is pleased to announce the five recipients of the 2015-2016 MHA Program Scholarships. The three essay-based scholarship winners will receive $5,000, with each distinguished presentation awardee receiving $3,500. These scholarships honor and support students who embody the program’s values of diversity, service and leadership, and who demonstrate knowledge of and ability to apply such values within the program, and within the health care profession’s scope of practice.
Students competing for the scholarship awards were judged on different topics and formats to recognize the variety of skills, interests, and diverse experiences our students bring to the program and the field.
The 2015-2016 awardees:
Equity Award ($5,000)
Cole Allick - 1st year MHA - Cole is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in rural North Dakota. He attended the University of North Dakota and graduated last May with a BS in Psychology and Public Administration.
Emerging Leader Award ($5,000)
Olivia Arguinchona – 2nd year MHA – Olivia has an undergraduate degree in Finance from the UW. Originally hired into wealth management, she turned down job offers to pursue her passion, pediatric palliative care. She enjoys many outdoor activities, as most Pacific Northwesters do. She is also an Ambassador for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and participates in many of their Team in Training athletic events. She has raised more than $20,000 for cancer research and participated in four marathons and a half-Ironman. She is also an avid rower.
Impact Award ($5,000)
Brianna Bobiak - 2nd year MHA - Brianna is a highly passionate, driven individual with strong leadership capabilities, whose interest in serving rural communities is derived from personal experiences living and working in marginalized, resource-deficient communities in the United States. Her motivation and desire to serve bring a unique perspective to healthcare administration, and her goals to work to improve patient experience through quality and operations will contribute value to rural organizations throughout her career. Her personal goals include raising a family, small-scale farming, and learning to be an expert fly fisher.
Distinguished Presentation Award - Population Health ($3,500)
Kyle Reader - 2nd year MHA - Kyle is a native of Denver, CO, and started his career in healthcare as a social worker for a non-profit community health center. He has worked with indigent and mentally ill patients. Since coming to the University of Washington, Kyle has taken over various leadership and community engagement roles through our Student Association. He spent his summer working at Catholic Health Initiatives national offices in the population health department, learning about value-based care and population-health management.
Distinguished Presentation Award - Big Data ($3,500)
Bronwen Raymer - 2nd year MHA - Bronwen is originally from Vancouver, WA. Although she had other academic and career interests at the undergraduate level, she determined shortly after graduation that healthcare leadership was where her true interests lie after a family member's illness made this career path visible and meaningful. After graduation, Bronwen hopes to explore operations and strategy, particularly in outpatient settings, as well as patient safety.