WASHINGTON – In a significant boost to the regional medical workforce, the Daviess Community Hospital (DCH) Foundation has announced its 2026 Health Careers Scholarship recipients. This year, 11 standout students from across the region were selected to receive a combined total of $19,250 in financial aid.
Since the program’s inception, the Foundation has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to medical education, awarding a staggering $265,600 to 234 recipients. The scholarships are available to residents of Daviess, Martin, and Pike counties, as well as DCH employees and their dependents who are pursuing accredited health care degrees.
Investing in the Front Lines: The DCH Nursing Scholarship
The largest single award of the year, the $5,000 DCH Nursing Scholarship, was presented to Jacquelyn Shots of Washington.
Shots is a current nursing assistant in the hospital’s Acute Care Unit and is set to graduate from Ivy Tech Community College. This specific scholarship acts as a “bridge to practice”; in exchange for the funding, Shots has committed to serving as a full-time registered nurse at DCH for at least two years following her graduation.
Honoring Legacies: Memorial Scholarships
Two specialized awards this year highlight the rich history of care in the community:
The Dr. Suresh Lohano Scholarship ($2,000): Awarded to Marydith Borders, an Indiana University neuroscience student. The fund honors the legacy of the late Dr. Lohano, specifically seeking out students who embody his patient-centered, compassionate approach.
The Helen Arthur Memorial Scholarship ($750): Awarded to Maeli Stoll, a future nursing student at Vincennes University. This historic fund honors a local woman whose nursing dreams were cut short by tuberculosis in the 1950s, continuing a legacy of support started by the Omega Alpha Chi homemakers’ group over 70 years ago.
The 2026 Scholarship Recipients
The Foundation recognized a diverse group of students pursuing various specialties, from respiratory therapy to sonography:
| Recipient | High School / Hometown | University / Major | Award Amount |
| Hanna Skomp | Washington HS (’25) | Vincennes University (Nursing) | $1,500 |
| Lindsey Nolan | Loogootee HS (’23) | Univ. of Evansville (Physical Therapy) | $1,500 |
| Eliana Sellers | Washington HS (’24) | Univ. of Southern Indiana (Respiratory Therapy) | $1,500 |
| Hannah Yoder | North Daviess HS (’25) | Univ. of Southern Indiana (Sonography) | $1,500 |
| Kasey Freed | North Daviess HS (’25) | Univ. of Southern Indiana (Nursing) | $1,500 |
| Katie Sites | Bedford North Lawrence (’25) | Vincennes University (Nursing) | $1,500 |
| Makayla Ervin | Washington HS (’18) | Northern Kentucky Univ. (Nursing) | $1,000* |
| Ellie Allen | North Knox HS (’26) | Franklin College (Exercise Science) | $750 |
| Catherine Van Der Aa | Barr-Reeve HS (’26) | Indiana Wesleyan (Biology/Pre-Med) | $750 |
*Awarded via the DCH Auxiliary
By focusing on local students and current employees, the DCH Foundation aims to solve the national healthcare shortage at a local level.
“These scholarships are more than just financial aid,” a Foundation spokesperson noted. “They are an investment in the people who will be caring for our neighbors, friends, and families for decades to come.”
For more information on the DCH Foundation or how to contribute to future scholarship funds, residents are encouraged to visit the Daviess Community Hospital website.
