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Students Selected For Wayne State RHOP Program

Published Thursday, March 7th, 2019

Rural Health Opportunities Program

RHOP is a partnership between Wayne State and UNMC and encourages students from rural areas of Nebraska to return to rural settings after graduation to pursue their career.

Wayne State College has accepted 33 students with full scholarships into the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP).

"The need for rural health professionals continues to grow,'' said Dr. David Peitz."These students have proven themselves to be gifted and dedicated to their profession. They have displayed the potential to develop into strong community leaders.'' 

RHOP is a cooperative effort between Wayne State and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and encourages students from rural areas of Nebraska to return to rural settings after graduation to pursue their career. Individuals selected obtain guaranteed admission to UNMC Colleges upon successful completion of studies and other benchmarks at WSC. 

Areas of study under the program include medical laboratory sciences, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, dental hygiene, radiography, and dentistry.

A shortage of rural health practitioners in Nebraska prompted higher education institutions to implement the RHOP program in 1989. Selection of candidates continues to be based on an applicant's residency in a rural Nebraska community, academic potential, and commitment to practice in rural Nebraska.

Individuals who will start within the RHOP program in the fall, their hometowns, and areas of study include:
Zachary Placek of Alliance, dentistry
Emily Gill of Auburn, medicine
Claire McCoy of Aurora, dental hygiene
Sarah Vorderstrasse of Bennet, medical laboratory science
Grayson Garey of Broken Bow, medicine
Kara Kudera of Clarkson, nursing
Holly Kuhr of Clarkson, radiography
Kelsey Faust of Columbus, dental hygiene
Jaden Johnson of Columbus, medicine
Bridget Sisco of David City, medical laboratory science
Elizabeth Blaser of Duncan, medicine
Tanner Cromer of Falls City, pharmacy
James Lesiak of Fullerton, physician assistant
Seerat Balraj of Grand Island, medicine
Olivia Thompson of Gretna, physician assistant
Benjamin Mestl of Henderson, pharmacy
Abby Quadhamer of Hildreth, pharmacy
Anna Brockhaus of Madison, nursing
Gabriel Romero of Madison, physical therapy
Cole Belitz of Neligh, nursing
Anna Windedahl of Norfolk, medical laboratory science
Jaedyn Leisy of North Platte, pharmacy
Tyressa McManigal of Pender, dentistry
Jett Stuhr of Petersburg, nursing
Luke Jacobs of Phillips, dentistry
Delaney Carlstrom of Polk, radiography
Joseph Merkel of Saint Helena, pharmacy
Valaree Busse of Saint Paul, nursing
Hadley Chvatal of Wahoo, physical therapy
Ruth Johnson of Wausa, physician assistant
Meghan Battles of Wayne, nursing
Kayla Fitzgerald of Crete, radiography
Madison Hamik of Wayne, medical laboratory science

Wayne State College, a regional, public four-year college located in Northeast Nebraska, is a proud member of the Nebraska State College System.