Bruce James (left), President and CEO of Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital, with scholarship recipients Lynnsey Erb and Makayla Keathley, and Holly Hillyer, Communications Coordinator for the hospital. (Submitted photo)

Dover, Ohio - Recent Indian Valley High School graduates Lynnsey Erb and Makayla Keathley are the recipients of $1,000 scholarships from Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital.

Erb is the daughter of Joe and Heather Erb of Gnadenhutten and Keathley is the daughter of Dan and Alison Keathley, all of Gnadenhutten. Both Erb and Keathley plan to attend nursing school this fall.

It is the ninth year that the hospital has awarded scholarships as part of its UH TECH student career exploration program held each winter.

"The Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital TECH career program had a great influence on my decision on a career field," Keathley said.

"I have had a great experience with the UH TECH program as well as participating in the Nursing Career Exploration program (also sponsored by the hospital)," Erb said.

UH TECH stands for "Teens Exploring Careers in Healthcare." Hospital caregiver staff plan the program and conduct sessions each winter as area high school students explore many different healthcare career opportunities during sessions held at the hospital and featuring hospital staff members.

Holly Hillyer, the hospital's Community Relations Coordinator who chairs the UH TECH program, said graduating seniors who attend the program and planning to continue their education in a healthcare field are encouraged to apply for the scholarships.

"Lynnsey and Makayla were the top qualifiers in all aspects of the competitive application process," Hillyer said. "Both of these outstanding students' academic achievements, a great mix of extracurricular activities, leadership and volunteer services in our local community, along with attendance at every UH TECH event since they started high school made them the top contenders among the scholarship applicants.

"Choosing Lynnsey and Makayla for the UH TECH scholarship is very rewarding for all of us because it fulfills the mission of the program which is to inspire a new generation of superior students to pursue a healthcare career. All of the applicants were excellent candidates and the choice was very difficult."

Hillyer said the next TECH program will begin in January. Details will be provided this fall to all the area high schools to share with students. More information about UH TECH can be found on the hospital website at www.unionhospital.org and on the UH TECH pages on Facebook and Twitter.

Information about Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital and all of its services available to the community is available on the hospital website at www.unionhospital.org, and on the hospital's pages on Facebook and Twitter (@Union_Hospital).

Submitted by Union Hospital Cleveland Clinic