Courtesy Photo From left to right are Ann Diamond, MidMichigan Health Foundation; Mary DesOrmeau; Bill DesOrmeau; Susie MacArthur; Paige Frantz, and Chuck Sherwin, MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena.

ALPENA — MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena leadership and board members recently presented three area students with financial assistance to continue their pursuit toward careers in the field of human medicine. Jordan Ensz, Paige Frantz and Susie MacArthur all were named recipients of MidMichigan Health Foundation’s Development Council scholarships.

Ensz received the Aliferis Medical scholarship in the amount of $1,000. Ensz is a graduate of the University of Michigan and is in the doctoral program at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. While attending U of M, Ensz was a teaching assistant and peer advisor in the biology department and received university honors from Fall 2015 through Spring 2018. She was also Piccolo Rank Leader in the Michigan Marching Band. After graduation from medical school, Ensz plans on successfully completing her residency program and is leaning toward a specialty in general surgery or emergency medicine.

Frantz was awarded the Gerald and June Kramer Education Scholarship in the amount of $1,000. Originally offered as a $500 scholarship, June’s family, Gary and Cindy Zolnierek, generously offered the larger scholarship award. Frantz graduated Cum Laude with her Licensed Practical Nursing degree from Alpena Community College and is in the Registered Nursing program. Her plans after graduation are to work in the Progressive Care Unit and eventually the Intensive Care Unit at MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena.

MacArthur received the DesOrmeau Nursing Scholarship in the amount of $1,000. MacArthur is a retired teacher from Alpena Public Schools and is currently a Certified Nurse Assistant at Medilodge of Alpena and a Volunteer Medical First Responder. MacArthur is attending Alpena Community College and is pursuing her Registered Nursing degree. Upon obtaining her degree she would like to work with the elderly population or as in in-home healthcare nurse and looks forward to improving the quality of life, especially in the elderly.

Funding these scholarships are generous personal donations made by Bill and Mary DesOrmeau, June Kramer and Gary and Cindy Zolnierek, and Carlene Aliferis. Mary DesOrmeau was the former chief nursing officer at MidMichigan Health in Alpena, and Bill was an active community member. They are both retired and living near family downstate.

Funding the Kramer scholarship is June Kramer and Gary and Cindy Zolnierek. Although the family is now in Texas, this is a legacy gift in memory of June’s husband, Gerald, and a family gift in honor of June, whose philosophies were always to help others.

The Aliferis scholarship is in memory of pathologist Dr. Peter Aliferis and is funded by his family, as well as the annual Aliferis Race. All of these individuals recognize the value and importance of supporting education and quality healthcare and we thank them for their vision and generosity.

The scholarship program at MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena began in 2002 and has since awarded $74,500 in healthcare scholarships to local students. Those interested in more information on scholarship opportunities or details on how to fund a health care scholarship, may contact Ann Diamond, development director, MidMichigan Health Foundation at (989) 356-7738 or ann.diamond@midmichigan.org.

The MidMichigan Health Foundation supports the patients and families served by MidMichigan Health by raising funds for equipment, services, and programs. MidMichigan Health is a nonprofit health system headquartered in Midland, Michigan, affiliated with Michigan Medicine, the health care division of the University of Michigan. MidMichigan Health covers a 23-county region with medical centers in Midland, Alpena, Alma, Clare, Gladwin, Mt. Pleasant, and West Branch. In addition to its Medical Centers, MidMichigan Health also offers both home health care and physician services and has a strong commitment to medical education. MidMichigan Physicians Group provides urgent care and medical offices in more than 30 specialties and subspecialties, including cardiology, hematology/ oncology, orthopedics, vascular surgery, family medicine, and more. Currently, MidMichigan has more than 8,700 employees, volunteers, physicians, and other personnel, and provided more than $90 million in community benefits in fiscal year 2019.