One of the most far-reaching projects of the Austin Medical Center Hospital Auxiliary is its scholarship program.

More than $60,000 in scholarships have been awarded by the auxiliary since it began, helping women and men pursue their education in health-related careers.

Rosalie Seltz is the organization's scholarship program chairperson.

This year's scholarship recipients included:

Crystal Burt, Brienna Fristedt, Genna Halleland, Shawna Mummert, Carol Simon and Christine Holst.

First-year college students each receive a $500 scholarship from the auxiliary. It is renewable for another $500 in the second year of their studies if they maintain an acceptable grade point average.

Burt and Fristedt both graduated from Blooming Prairie High School and are employed as certified nursing assistants at Prairie Manor Nursing Home in Blooming Prairie. They are enrolled in the two-year nursing program at Riverland Community College. Burt has also completed two years of studies at Winona State university and Fristedt has attended Minnesota State University.

A 2000 Austin High School graduate, Halleland attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Last year, she worked as a registrar at the Austin Medical Center-Mayo Health System emergency room. She is also enrolled at the RCC two-year nursing program.

Mummert graduated from Albert Lea High School in 2002 and took the RCC certified nursing assistant program while in high school. She now has

begun studying in RCC's two-year nursing program.

Currently an LPN at the Good Samaritan Center at St. Ansgar, Iowa, Simon is a volunteer with the Mitchell County Ambulance Service. She will graduate from the two-year nursing program in December.

West and her husband, Dereik, are parents of two children. A graduate of Winona High School, she is also enrolled in the two-year nursing program.

Continuing scholarships were awarded to Judith Jacobson and Elizabeth Judd, both now completing their registered nursing program and earning associate degrees in nursing.

The new scholarship recipients were introduced at the annual meeting of the AMC-Mayo Health System auxiliary Oct. 8 at First Congregational Church in Austin. Simon and West, as well as second-year recipient Jacobson, were not present at the annual meeting ceremonies.

Outer 2001 scholarship recipients who have completed their courses of study include Brandi Baune, physical therapy assistant; Rebecca Culbert, LPN; Jessie Schnieder,

RN associate degree; and Konni Wenisch, physical therapy assistant.

Two 1998 scholarships recipients, Gina Cummings and Brooke Divine, have completed their respective courses of study: Cummings in exercise science at Creighton University, Omaha, Neb., and Divine, medical doctor, at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.

Contributions or memorial gifts to help fund the auxiliary scholarships may be sent to

Mrs. June Gennerich, Auxiliary Memorial Fund Chairman, Austin Medical Center-Mayo Health System, 300 8th Ave. NW, Austin, MN 55912.

Lee Bonorden can be reached at 434-2232 or by e-mail at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com