PORT ANGELES — Twenty-nine local students will share in $500,000 worth of scholarships to pursue or advance their medical education, with the goal of bolstering home-grown medical staff at Olympic Medical Center.

Bruce Skinner, executive director of the Olympic Medical Center Foundation, announced the scholarships on Wednesday. The program, launched in September 2023 by the foundation, aims to remove financial barriers for students pursuing health care careers at Peninsula College and beyond.

Funded by local donors, the scholarships cover tuition, fees, books, and living expenses. This allows recipients to focus entirely on their studies, preparing them for roles ranging from nursing to lab technicians and medical assistants.

Four scholarships were funded by George Brown in memory of his late wife, Barbara. Of the 29 awards, 24 were given to Peninsula College students, while others will support further education or specialized medical training not available locally.

Scholarship Recipients:

Continuing (second-time recipients): Kayla Blodgett, Kristina Connor, Whitney Christianson, Erin Ewing, Sharon Kiplagat, Abigail Raphael, Ilene Rogers, Jack Sisson, Gloria Tietz, Michelle Williams.

First-time recipients: Joshua Bolton, IrieAna Brown, Simon Close, Devanee Cipriano, Lara Eash, Isabelle Felton, Karissa Hayter, Kayla Keller, Stacia Kiesser, Madelyn Korshoff, MeLyssa Lovell, Amanda McKoin, Alexanda Parrill, Peyton Rudd, Devon Scribner, Sharon Senner, Tila Stackhouse, Douglas Weatherly, Elizabeth Wood.