CaroMont Health and the CaroMont Health Foundation are pleased to announce
the 2016 recipient of the Wayne F. Shovelin Scholarship. Linnea Susanne
Jurs, senior at Forestview High School, will receive up to $20,000 each
academic year to pursue undergraduate studies in a health care-related field.
This highly-competitive scholarship is made possible by a generous donation
from the Duke Kimbrell family in honor of long-time CaroMont Health CEO,
Wayne Shovelin. In addition to the up to $20,000 each year in support
for tuition and fees, the scholarship provides recipients with three paid
summer internships at CaroMont Health to gain experience in the healthcare
environment.
“We are very proud of the caliber of applicants, many of whom demonstrate
outstanding academic excellence and possess the exceptional leadership
qualities we look for when choosing a winner,” said Janie Peak,
CaroMont Health Foundation Board member and Chair of the Scholarship Committee.
“We are excited to recognize Linnea as the 2016 Wayne F. Shovelin
Scholarship recipient and look forward to following her as she continues
her successful journey.”
Linnea is ranked first in her class at Forestview and plans to attend the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall to pursue a career
pediatrics or public health.
Among Jurs’s outstanding accomplishments in high school, she received
the Gaston Civitan Club’s Outstanding Young Citizen, served as Junior
Marshal, Co-Chief at the 2015 Forestview High School graduation, is a
Wendy's High School Heisman School Winner and is recognized as an
AP (Advanced Placement) Scholar with Distinction.
At Forestview, Jurs was captain and MVP of the girls' tennis team,
co-captain of the mock trial team, Public Relations Coordinator for Junior
Civitan Club and Co-Coordinator for the Let's Play Soccer Program.
Jurs also has represented Forestview at the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership
Program, Junior Leadership Gaston, Teen Westward Bound, and was selected
for the Gaston County Commissioners School of Excellence last year.
In her spare time, Jurs is involved with Girl Scouts and recently received
the Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting that challenges
young people to impact the world through community service projects. For
her Gold Award project, Jurs established a Fair Trade store at First United
Methodist Church in Gastonia. The goal of this project has been to help
laborers and farmers in third-world countries receive fair wages and safe
working conditions. The store sells coffee from Uganda, as well as tea
and chocolate from other countries.
"It is no accident that when we go on mission trips, we send Linnea
to soup kitchens in some of the poorest cities in America,” said
Rebecca Greene, Director of Spiritual Formation at First United Methodist
Church. “Her smiling face greets each person, offering them dignity
and respect. Linea is dedicated to a vision beyond herself."
The CaroMont Health Foundation received applications through early December
2015 and the Scholarship Committee carefully assessed each application
and met multiple times to review the credentials of each student. Semifinalists
were selected in early 2016 with each student undergoing a rigorous interview
process with the Scholarship Committee.
Wayne F. Shovelin Scholarship requirements include:
- Residency in Gaston County or the child of a CaroMont Health employee
- Status as a senior in high school
- Scholastic achievement with a minimum GPA of at least 3.5 (un-weighted)
- Applicant’s interest in pursuing a degree in a health care profession
- Applicant’s acceptance into an accredited college or university
- Demonstration of strong community involvement through volunteering
The selection process for the next recipient of the Wayne F. Shovelin Scholarship
will begin fall 2016. For more information, please contact Debbie Windley,
Director of Development, at 704.834.4042.