Baystate Wing Hospital Auxiliary Awards $5,000 in Scholarships to Area Students

PALMER — The Baystate Wing Hospital Auxiliary recently presented $1,000 scholarships to five area high-school students pursuing careers in healthcare. Each year the scholarships are financed by the hard work and dedicated fundraising efforts of auxiliary members.

The auxiliary awarded scholarships to seniors graduating from Belchertown, Ludlow, Minnechaug, Monson, and Pathfinder high schools who are pursuing higher education in the healthcare field. The students were chosen based on their academic excellence, volunteer efforts and related community service, work experience, and dedication to their goals. A committee reviewed the applications of area students in April, as they do each year, to select the students who this year will each receive a $1,000 scholarship.

The 2024 scholarship award recipients are Maggie Williams from Belchertown High School, Abigayle Goncalves-Korny from Ludlow High School, Abigail Pastore from Minnechaug High School, Mia Matthieu from Monson High School, and Kailee McManaman from Pathfinder High School.

“Our auxilians work hard each year to raise funds for scholarships because it means so much to them to support our future healthcare professionals,” said Ursula St. Amand, chair of the scholarship committee. “We are extremely proud of these students and grateful to the Baystate Wing Hospital Auxiliary members for their continued dedication to our hospital and our communities. Scholarship opportunities were also offered to Palmer and Ware high schools; unfortunately, this year we did not receive scholarship applications. We look forward to receiving applications from those communities next year.”

For more than 66 years, the auxiliary has been actively supporting Baystate Wing Hospital through its sponsorship of special events and management of the gift shop. This diverse group of women and men includes teachers, nurses, and business owners, both young and retirees, who live in many different communities and are united by a shared commitment to support the mission of the hospital.

“We are delighted and proud to continue to serve and support our hospital and our patients and visitors who come to the hospital for care,” said St. Amand.

Teresa Grove, Philanthropy officer for Baystate Health’s Eastern Region, added that “we are thankful to the auxiliary members for their continued commitment and support.”