The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) recognized medical students for their academic and community achievements through scholarships and employees for their commitment to educate future physicians.
The school’s annual Spring Awards Ceremony took place in person after two years as a virtual presentation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scholarship and award recipients were acknowledged on April 8. A total of $465,316 was distributed through 34 scholarships, awards and certificates of appreciation.
Student scholarships and awards were:
The Dr. Roland P. Sharp President and Foundation Award of Excellence for Student Achievement is given to a first-year student based on academic performance, osteopathic professional interest, leadership and citizenship. This year’s winner was Benjamin Jack.
The Student D.O. of the Year award acknowledges a student’s commitment to his or her school and community and to the osteopathic profession. This year’s recipient was Matthew Parsley.
WVSOM Alumni Association Scholarships are given to two students who exemplify scholarship, osteopathic professional interest, leadership and citizenship. The winners were Brooke Seamans and Benjamin VanTasel.
The West Virginia Emulation Endowment Trust/Dr. Olen E. Jones Jr. Scholarship was established in 2016 and named after Olen E. Jones Jr., Ph.D., who served as president of WVSOM from 1987 to 2009. The scholarship is awarded to West Virginia students based on literary and scholastic attainments, morality, leadership and physical vigor. This year’s scholarship recipients were Haley Craig for first place and Caleb Duncan for second place.
This was the inaugural year for the Foundation Scholars awards. The award is given to West Virginia residents with satisfactory academic performance who plan to stay in West Virginia after residency to practice. Preference is given to students from Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Fayette, Gilmer, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Nicholas, Roane, Summers, Wayne, Webster and Wyoming counties. This year’s inaugural award recipients were Seth Graham for first place and Kayla Vaughan for second place.
The Legacy Scholarship Endowment was created by the WVSOM Foundation in an effort to help offset the cost of medical school for WVSOM students. This year’s winner was Brian Moore.
The Jarrell Family Award recognizes second-year students who are West Virginia residents, with preference given to students from Boone, Fayette, Kanawha or Raleigh counties. This year’s winners were John Craig and Caleb Duncan.
Twelve WVSOM students were recognized for receiving the Encova Scholars Award, donated by the Encova Foundation of West Virginia. This year’s recipients were Allison Moore, Abundance Hunt, Abigail Effingham, Ryan Murphy, Syeda Rukh, Tanner Moore, Mariah Berman, Taylor Jones, Nathaniel Jordan, Caleb Duncan, Madeleine Gwinn and Thulasi Kulasinghe.
The West Virginia State Medical Association Alliance Scholarship Fund provides scholarships for medical students from West Virginia who desire to practice in the state after they graduate. The alliance is an organization that comprises physician spouses, who in the fall of 2016 established an endowment at each of the three medical schools in West Virginia. This year’s WVSOM scholarship was presented to Matthew Parsley.
The Fredric W. Smith Memorial Family Practice Scholarship is awarded to a student completing his or her second year of medical school. The student must be a West Virginia resident who plans to practice family medicine and has a strong interest in the school and community. The winner was Elizabeth Coyle.
The Samantha Ketchem Muncy Primary Care Memorial Scholarship was established to honor Muncy, a student killed in a car accident. The scholarship is awarded to a third-year medical student from Barbour, Harrison, McDowell, Preston or Taylor counties in West Virginia who plans to remain in the state to practice in a primary care specialty. This year’s scholarship recipient was Ravirajsinh Chudasama.
The Dr. William B. Mullen and Jennifer White Scholarship was created in recognition of Dr. William B. Mullen of Logan, W.Va., a physician who cared for his patient, Jennifer White, who passed away in 2011. John Craig, Caleb Duncan and Abigail Effingham were the scholarship recipients.
The Eugene McClung, M.D., Family Scholarship was created by McClung’s family to honor his service to the medical profession. McClung was a graduate of the Duke University School of Medicine and was a U.S. Army Purple Heart recipient. He practiced internal medicine in Lewisburg from 1957 until his death in 1988. The scholarship recognizes a first-generation college graduate who exhibits a strong interest in community involvement. This year’s recipient was Thao Englert.
The Loretta Moore Memorial Scholarship Fund recipient is chosen by first-year students and given to a classmate who has overcome obstacles in order to succeed. Nauman Shahid was this year’s recipient.
The Ron Billips Memorial Scholarship Fund was formed by a 2002 WVSOM graduate to honor his friend and classmate killed in a car accident. The award is given to a first-year student who is a graduate of Big Creek, Iaeger, Mount View, Princeton or Bluefield high schools in West Virginia or Graham, Tazewell, Richlands or Pocahontas high schools in Virginia. This year’s award went to Cody Fuller.
The Greenbrier Military School Alumni Association Scholarship is presented to two students who excel academically and show strong leadership, determination and discipline. This year’s recipients were Samantha DeMartino and Dante Mattioli.
The Drs. Cheryl and Michael Adelman WVSOM Leadership Scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated character and leadership during their time at WVSOM and who have the potential to be future leaders in the osteopathic profession. Mark Haft was this year’s recipient.
The Paul G. Kleman, D.O., Family Practice Student Award (Kleman family and West Virginia Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians) recognizes a student who plans to use osteopathic manipulation in treating patients and is willing to instill the importance of osteopathic principles and practice in the next generation of WVSOM students. This year’s award recipients were Caleb Duncan for first place and Abundance Hunt for second place.
MOSS Scholarships honor the late Marlene Wager, D.O., and are presented to students who are out-of-state residents. This year, 15 students received the scholarship. They were Margaret Anwar, Mac Kenzie Bohns, Samantha DeMartino, Paul Fudacz, Anthony Grillo, Lauren Ivers, Vanessa Lim, Michael Meseha, Katherine Muterspaw, John Polyzois, Sarah Socrates, Jacob Solanki, Joson Thomas, Anisha Verma and Mark Wagner.
The James R. Stookey, D.O., Manipulative Medicine Scholarship was created in honor of James Stookey, WVSOM’s vice president for academic affairs and dean from 1988 to 2002. The scholarship is given to a student who has demonstrated proficiency in manipulative medicine. This year’s scholarship was awarded to Devin Towne.
The Marlene A. Wager 10-Fingered OPP Scholarship was created by the osteopathic principles and practice department in 2008 to recognize a second-year student with outstanding skills in osteopathic manipulative treatment. Candidates are nominated and voted on by classmates. The winner has his or her name engraved on a plaque that is displayed in the osteopathic clinical skills lab. This year’s recipient was Jessica Coxon.
The WVSOM Family Practice Scholarship is awarded to a second-year West Virginia student who has intentions of practicing family medicine upon graduation. The scholarship was awarded to Elizabeth Coyle.
The WVSOM Diversity Task Force – Eva Teter Hammer Award is given to a student who demonstrates an interest in osteopathic medicine and in eliminating the inequities of individuals. Preston Allison was recognized this year.
The Choose West Virginia Practice Program is a tuition waiver program that incentivizes nonresident West Virginia medical students to remain in the state to practice. Out-of-state students accepted or enrolled at each of the three medical schools in West Virginia are eligible for the program. Recipients receive a tuition waiver for the cost difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition and agree to practice in a primary care or shortage specialty in West Virginia for a minimum of one year. The winners were Richard Cardillo III, Jona Dajbabic, Benjamin Dodge, Katerina Mastronardi, Christopher Musil, Nicholas Wilson and Joseph Wing.
The Rural Physician Service Program incentivizes WVSOM students to remain in West Virginia to practice medicine. Students agree to practice at an eligible service site within the state and receive enhanced rural health training through WVSOM’s Rural Health Initiative during medical school. The program is presented with financial assistance as a grant from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. This year’s recipients were Hannah Ankrom, Mary Rosiek, Keirston Sutherland, Nicholas Wilson and Joseph Wing.
The Community Outreach and Relief Effort (C.O.R.E.) recognizes members for their service. This year, 12 students were honored for participation in the program. They were Jacquelyn Anderson, Radhika Bajaj, Madeline Illar, Carleigh Jenne, Erin Lewis, Braeden Mantonya, James Austin Martin Jr., Julia Moore, Olivia Skiro, Travis Steerman, Brennan Toler and Aiden Ward.
The Student Government Association Leadership Scholarship is presented to first-, second- and third-year students who have mentored fellow students, shared their own resources to facilitate the learning of others, founded clubs or organized events and brought students together in new and creative ways. The recipients were Gillian Gaunt and Alyssa Turner (Class of 2025); James Easler and Matthew Parsley (Class of 2024); and Mark Haft and Shannon Misiaszek (Class of 2023).
The Student Government Association Character Scholarship is presented to first-, second- and third-year students who possess and demonstrate characteristics that may sometimes go unnoticed but are noted by peers. This year’s recipients were Natalie Fabrizio and Kassey Wagner (Class of 2025); Ashika Chaluvadi and Ruth Warren (Class of 2024); and Meghan Allwes and Aaron Byczynski (Class of 2023).
The Fredric W. Smith Community Service Award recognizes a campus organization or club that demonstrates a commitment to the Lewisburg community, the WVSOM community and classmates. The WVSOM chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists was given this year’s recognition.
A Special Award Presentation recognized Student Government Association President Harrison Solomon and Vice President Lindsey Trusal. The award recognizes service and leadership to WVSOM and the student body.
WVSOM faculty and staff who were recognized by students were:
The Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) Integration Teaching Award is given to faculty members for their efforts in teaching and for excelling in integrating OPP into their classes. The winners were Rebecca Scopa Kelso, Ph.D. (biomedical sciences), Chelsea Feger, D.O. (clinical sciences), and Peter Palko, D.O. (adjunct clinical sciences preceptor).
The Atlas Club Golden Key Award is given to a biomedical sciences faculty member and clinical sciences faculty member selected by students. The recipients were Kristin Stover, Ph.D., and Lauren Miller, D.O.
The Student Government Association Appreciation Recognition is given to employees by SGA members for their work and support on behalf of medical students. This year, SGA members thanked Clinical Evaluation Center staff.