7 NY Students Win Healthcare and Education Scholarships

Seven high school graduates in Cattaraugus County just got a financial boost to chase their dreams of helping others through healthcare and education careers.

The students received scholarships totaling more than $8,000 from funds managed by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation. The awards ranged from $700 to $2,500, all aimed at supporting young people entering fields where communities need them most.

Victoria Harris of Olean High School walked away with the largest award, receiving $3,200 combined from two different scholarships. She plans to study nursing at St. Bonaventure University, supported by both the Bernadette E. "Bernie" Taylor Memorial Scholarship and the Thomas & Robert Smythe Scholarship.

Ava West of Olean High School and Isaac Brauer of Allegany-Limestone Central School each received $1,000 from the Kothari Family Fund Healthcare Scholarship. West will study psychology at St. John Fisher University, while Brauer heads to the University at Buffalo for pharmaceutical studies.

Two more Allegany-Limestone students, Alexis Wojewoda-Ko and Madison Kahm, each received $750 for their healthcare pursuits. Wojewoda-Ko will study biochemistry at the University of Rochester, and Kahm plans to study physical therapy at Duquesne University.

The Ripple Effect

What makes these scholarships special is their origin stories. Local physicians like Drs. Ashok and Yogini Kothari and Drs. Ahmad and Naheed Hilal created these funds after spending careers serving rural communities. They understand the challenge of attracting healthcare workers to smaller towns and chose to invest in homegrown talent.

The Pat McGee Nursing Scholarship honored a late state senator by supporting two nursing students, including Hadleigh Krug of Salamanca High School, who heads to the University of Alabama, and Megan Fisher, a non-traditional student already attending Jamestown Community College. The scholarship specifically welcomes both recent graduates and career changers, recognizing that paths to helping professions look different for everyone.

These seven students represent more than individual success stories. They're part of a growing pipeline of local young people who might return to serve the communities that supported them, creating a cycle of care and generosity that extends far beyond a single check.