HUNTINGTON, IND. – June 30, 2025 – Three Huntington County students will be advancing their education in healthcare with the help of a Parkview Huntington Hospital Spirit of Service scholarship.
Kirah Klepper, Kayla Reich, and Andrew Szelis were each selected to receive a $1,500 scholarship toward their studies. The scholarships are made possible by donations to the Parkview Health Foundation and proceeds from the operation of the Parkview Huntington Hospital gift shop.
“With the continued growth in healthcare careers and the ongoing need for skilled, dedicated caregivers, we are pleased to support these scholarships for outstanding young people who feel called to serve,” said Doug Selig, vice president of patient care services, Parkview Huntington and Parkview Wabash hospitals. “Our scholarship selection committee felt that Kirah, Kayla and Andrew were very deserving given their grades, activities, achievements and demonstrated desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.”
Kirah Klepper, a Huntington County resident, will study biology/pre-med at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. Klepper has known since a young age -- and through her volunteer work with organizations such as the Parkview Huntington Boys & Girls Club, 4-H, and Huntington Youth Leaders – that she wanted to pursue a career caring for children as a pediatrician. Since her freshman year of high school, she has methodically planned for her future by taking dual-credit classes through Ivy Tech and Huntington University.
Kayla Reich is majoring in nursing at Purdue University and will graduate in the Class of 2027. Reich’s interest in medicine started early as she encountered the many healthcare workers who helped care for her grandmother as she suffered through Alzheimer’s disease. Since enrolling in Purdue’s nursing program, she has also been involved with several organizations for professional development and community engagement, including Emerging Leader Scholars, College of Health & Human Sciences Ambassadors, Purdue University Blood Initiative, Nursing Peer Mentors and Adopt-a-Grandparent.
Andrew Szelis is pursuing a biology/pre-physician assistant degree at Trine University in Angola, Indiana. He completed an internship at Parkview Huntington Hospital during his junior year of high school to explore whether medicine would be the right future for him. His experience working closely with Parkview physicians and other clinical staff in departments including surgery and the Family Birthing Center solidified his plans to pursue a medical degree. Szelis also plans to focus on Spanish language studies to better communicate with and treat Spanish-speaking patients.
Since 2019, Spirit of Service scholarships have been awarded annually to Huntington County students pursuing post-secondary education in a healthcare-related field of study at any accredited institution of higher learning or technical training, as well as students residing outside Huntington County who are enrolled at Huntington University. The scholarship was initially funded by a portion of a legacy gift from the Parkview Huntington Hospital Guild, which ceased operations in 2018.
The scholarship program is administered by Parkview Health Foundation. Scholarship winners are selected by a review committee comprising foundation leaders and leaders at PHH. Up to three scholarships are available each year.
For more information about the Spirit of Service scholarship, visit www.parkview.com/SpiritScholarship.