On Tuesday, November 4, six area medical school students will receive $51,500 in scholarships during the 2014 Apollo Awards Dinner program. The annual dinner program will also honor four members (photo above) of the local health care community who have gone above and beyond to support and improve the quality of life in our region. The Apollo Awards Dinner will be held on Tuesday, November 4 at the Holiday Inn in downtown Johnstown beginning at 6:30 pm.

The Apollo scholarships are awarded each year to local 3rd and 4th year medical students who plan to return to the area to practice medicine. The funds are awarded through the Medical Community Endowment Fund, a fund of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies. This year’s recipients include:

• Steven Tucker, a 4th year medical student at Penn State College of Medicine, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Steven is the son of Steve and Judy Tucker of Johnstown.
• Nikhita Dharbhamulla, a 4th year medical student at Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Nikhita is the daughter of Drs. Venkata and Anwadha Dharbhamulla of Johnstown.
• Alexander Pozun, a 4th year medical student at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Alex is the son of Gerald and Ruth Pozun of Johnstown.
• Marie George, a 4th year medical student at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Virginia Campus. Marie is the daughter of Chester and Marie George of Johnstown.
• Daniel Holsinger, a 3rd year medical student at Penn State College of Medicine. Daniel is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Holsinger of Ebensburg.
• Donald Miller, a 3rd year medical student at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine. Donald is the son of David Miller of Carrolltown.

The awards ceremony will also honor the winners of the Lee Initiatives and Lee Auxiliary “Emily K. Lee Scholarship,” presented to those students pursuing a major in a healthcare field. These recipients have each received a $1,000 scholarship for their studies during the 2014-15 academic year. They include Cassidy Dodson, Josie Helsel, Mary Holtz, Summer Huffman, Elizabeth Petrell, Jalina Sabatose, Kaycee Skibo, Tyler Spotz, Kaitlyn Thomas and Kayla Uveges.

As noted above, the dinner will also recognize members of the local health care community whose commitment to the region has improved the quality of life for area residents. This year’s honorees include Mary P. Borkow, Dr. William Hauger, Dr. Roger Morrell and Dr. James Richey.

For event details or ticket reservations, please contact Anne McGrath at (814) 536-7741, ext. 119 or  or visit www.cfalleghenies.org. The Apollo Awards program is collaborative effort between the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, the Cambria County Medical Society, Lee Initiatives, Conemaugh Health System, and Windber Medical Center.