FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2021
Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild Awards Scholarships to Help Five Area Graduates Pursue Careers in Healthcare
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y., June 21, 2021—Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild has awarded $1,500 scholarships to five area high school seniors: Cristina DeMeo of Saratoga Springs, Lauren Fowler of Malta, Ava Herzog of Saratoga Springs, Riane Richard of Clifton Park, and Alexis Sutphin of Queensbury.
All were selected for their combination of academic achievements, community service and a desire to pursue a career in healthcare. Four participated in SSOAR: Students Sharing Opportunities and Responsibilities. The summer volunteer program gives area youth an opportunity to gain firsthand experience by providing compassionate customer service in a healthcare environment.
“These scholarship recipients are remarkable for their determination, dedication and resilience. They exemplify exactly what we’re looking for in the next generation of healthcare providers,” said Terry White, Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild president. “We are honored to recognize and support their efforts—and to play a role in helping them share their gifts with the community.”
Cristina DeMeo, of Saratoga Springs High School, volunteered with SSOAR and at Glens Falls Hospital throughout high school. She participated in the Summer Fellowship Program of The RNA Institute at the University at Albany and used the knowledge she gained in bioinformatics to create an award-winning project, “A Differential Gene Expression and Alternative Splicing Analysis of ALS-Causing Mutations.” DeMeo will attend Harvard University.
Lauren Fowler, of Ballston Spa High School, participated in the highly selective New Visions Health Careers Exploration Program. She volunteered at an elder care facility and as a SSOAR volunteer in Saratoga Hospital’s Alfred Z. Solomon Emergency Center. Fowler will study nursing at the University of Vermont.
Ava Herzog, of Saratoga Springs High School, was a volunteer with SSOAR, a junior volunteer at Glens Falls Hospital, a counselor at Camp Invention and a volunteer at Double H Ranch. She was involved in biology research at Skidmore College and was named a Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar for her project, “The Effect of the Retinal Degeneration Mutation rd1 on Circadian Locomotor Activity and Nesting Behavior in Mice.” Herzog will attend Stony Brook University as a student in the Scholars for Medicine B.S./M.D. program.
Riane Richard, of Shenendehowa High School, volunteered with a variety of community service organizations. Her most significant contributions were to Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany, where she helped visually impaired teens and children during group activities. She also organized video story times during the pandemic. Richard will major in biochemistry at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Alexis Sutphin, of Queensbury High School, volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and impressed Saratoga Hospital providers during her time as a SSOAR volunteer. One Saratoga Hospital physician cited Sutphin’s commitment, empathy and positive attitude—wonderful attributes for a future nurse. Sutphin will study nursing at Adirondack Community College.
Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild has awarded scholarships since 1990 to help high school seniors in the region pursue careers in healthcare.
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About Saratoga Hospital: Saratoga Hospital is the Saratoga region’s leading healthcare provider and the only acute-care facility in Saratoga County. The hospital’s multispecialty practice, Saratoga Hospital Medical Group, provides care at more than 20 locations, ensuring easy access to programs and services that can have the greatest impact on individual and community health. Saratoga Hospital has maintained Magnet designation for nursing excellence since 2004. The hospital is an affiliate of the Albany Med Health System, which also includes Albany Med, Columbia Memorial Health and Glens Falls Hospital. The region’s largest locally governed health system, it has 1,520 beds, more than 800 physicians and 125 outpatient locations. For more information: www.SaratogaHospital.org or www.facebook.com/SaratogaHospital.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Betsy St.Pierre
Director Volunteer Services
Saratoga Hospital
estpierre@saratogahospital.org