Parkview Foundation awards scholarships

Five current and aspiring nursing professionals have received a financial boost to their educational plans as they pursue their nursing studies this fall.

All have been selected to receive scholarships through Parkview Health Foundation as part of its 2026 scholarship program supporting healthcare education across northeast Indiana.

Huntington-area scholarship recipients include:

Both Kayla Reich and Andrew Szelis are past Spirit of Service Scholarship winners who have achieved the milestone of being recognized multiple times with this scholarship. Both Reich and Szelis were awarded $1,500.

Reich, a nursing student at Purdue University, is on track to finish her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in 2027.

Szelis is a Trine University student pursuing a pre-physician-assistant bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Spanish to enable him to communicate with and treat Spanish-speaking patients.

The Parkview Huntington Spirit of Service Scholarship was originally funded through assets from the former Parkview Huntington Hospital Guild and continues to be supported through gift shop proceeds and foundation support.

A Parkview Huntington Hospital (PHH) co-worker, Vickie Cook, RN, is pursuing her BSN through Western Governors University with long-term plans to obtain her master’s degree in nursing (MSN) while continuing her career at Parkview. Cook has served patients in the region for more than 14 years as a registered nurse. Her exemplary approach to patient care has been recognized with a DAISY Award as well as a Nursing Excellence Award in 2023 when she worked at Bluffton Regional Medical Center. Cook was awarded $1,000.

Karlee Hacker, Student Nurse Apprentice – RN works in PHH’s Emergency Department and is working on her associate degree in nursing through Ivy Tech Community College. Participating in Parkview’s Student Nurse Apprentice Program (SNAP), which prepares BSN and ASN students to transition into practice as registered nurses, she plans to go on to earn her BSN and become a certified emergency nurse (CEN). Focused on the emergency room setting, she hopes to continue with Parkview. Hacker also received $1,000.

The Jill Dreyer Scholarship honors the memory of former PHH nurse Jill Dreyer and is supported through employee generosity and community giving.

Although relatively new to the staff at PHH, Bethany Zezula, RN, VA-BC, previously was a nurse at Parkview Regional Medical Center for 14 years. She is currently working on her RN to BSN through Western Governors University with plans to continue her studies and eventually earn her MSN. Zezula says she put off advancing her nursing practice for years as she worked part-time to raise four children. Now she is pursuing her personal goal of further serving her community through advanced clinical leadership. Zezula aspires to contribute to improved patient outcomes, support quality and accreditation goals, and assume greater leadership and quality-improvement responsibilities as part of obtaining her BSN. Zezula was awarded $2,000.

“These scholarships are an investment in the future of healthcare across our region,” said Denise Andorfer, director, Parkview Health Foundation. “Through the generosity of donors and community supporters, we are able to help students and healthcare professionals continue their education and strengthen care for the communities we serve.”

In 2026, the foundation awarded 34 scholarships totaling $104,000 to students and healthcare professionals across Parkview Health’s service area. Scholarship winners are selected annually. Each scholarship is carefully managed by its own committee comprising Parkview leaders and foundation representatives, family members and colleagues of scholarship namesakes.

Learn more about supporting healthcare education assistance through Parkview Health Foundation. Visit donate.parkview.com.