Courage Center Announces 2009 EMPOWER Scholarships Recipients
Courage Center announces the recipients of its 2009 EMPOWER Scholarships: Binna Han, a graduate of Armstrong High School, and Yohanna Wolday, a graduate of Highland Park Senior High School. Each scholarship recipient receives $1,500, which is renewable.
The scholarships, which were awarded at a luncheon June 17, are made possible through the David Hersey Endowment Fund. At the luncheon, Courage Center expressed its gratitude to Adele Hersey and her family for their commitment to this program.
About the 2009 Recipients
Binna Han
Binna graduated from Armstrong High School with a 3.92 GPA and plans to attend Columbia University in the fall. She immigrated to the United States from Korea at the age of 10. At that time she was not very fluent in English, but she learned quickly and graduated with an outstanding academic and volunteer record.
Binna has volunteered in many settings, including North Memorial Hospital and Northridge Nursing home. Binna has a grandmother who is living with Alzheimer’s disease and this family situation led her to explore ways to help make a difference to seniors. Each Saturday at the nursing home, she plays the piano and takes requests from residents.
This passion to help others has led her to pursue a medical degree. She’d like to become a neuroscientist or neurosurgeon to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological diseases. Her other goal is to give back to places in the world that desperately need better healthcare.
Yohanna Wolday
Yohanna graduated from Highland Park Senior High School with 3.72 GPA. She also attends Concordia University with a GPA of 3.66. She plans to attend the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities) to pursue a medical degree.
Since 2005, Yohanna has volunteered over 300 hours at Regions Hospital, where she assisted in the Cancer Center, the Breast Center and Material Management. She also tutors students at the Dayton Bluffs Public Library. Her volunteer experience at Regions Hospital has contributed to her decision to pursue a medical degree so she can help people and make a difference in their lives.
Yohanna has only lived in the United States for four years. Like Binna, English was not her first language and while she started in some basic courses, she was soaring academically by the end of her first year.
The schlarship recipients with family and presenters: (from left) Yolanda's father, Yolanda, Binna's mother, Binna, Adele Hersey, Tim Walker (Courage Center Foundation Board Member) and Gail Peterson (director of Volunteer Services).
About the EMPOWER Scholarships
The EMPOWER Scholarships were established in 1994 tor recognize the importance of ethnically diverse students entering the fields of medicine and rehabilitation. To date 24 college students have received EMPOWER scholarships, which are administered by Courage Center through a Scholarship Committee. Funds are made available through the David M. Hersey Endowment Fund.