UNK accepts a record 56 students into Kearney Health Opportunities Program

UNK accepts a record 56 students into Kearney Health Opportunities Program
Courtesy/ University of Nebraska-Kearney. Future health care professionals from communities across the state will attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney this fall as part of the largest-ever class to enter the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP).
March 24th, 2023 | Tyler Ellyson, UNK News

KEARNEY – Future health care professionals from communities across the state will attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney this fall as part of the largest-ever class to enter the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP).

A total of 56 high school seniors were recently accepted into KHOP, a pipeline program designed to grow the state’s health care workforce by recruiting and educating students from rural Nebraska who are committed to practicing in these areas after professional school. Participants are awarded full-tuition scholarships to attend UNK and guaranteed admission to the University of Nebraska Medical Center if all requirements are met.

“We’re very excited to be welcoming this historic freshman class into the KHOP program,” said Peggy Abels, director of UNK Health Sciences. “It is encouraging to have such a highly talented group of students dedicated to practicing health care in rural Nebraska. We look forward to working with them to help alleviate the workforce shortages in our state.”

Launched in 2010, KHOP addresses an urgent need for health care professionals in rural Nebraska by providing top-notch training for students from these communities. Program participants can study in the fields of dental hygiene, dentistry, medical laboratory science, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant and radiography.

In addition to the full-tuition scholarship, members receive a $2,000 room waiver through the KHOP Learning Community. A requirement for freshmen, the one-year residential learning community gives students a chance to explore various health care careers while receiving support and guidance as they transition to college. KHOP members also meet with health care providers and tour medical facilities in the Kearney area, better preparing them for professional school.

For more information on the program, visit unk.edu/khop, call 308-865-8260 or email abelsp@unk.edu.

The following students, listed by hometown, will start the Kearney Health Opportunities Program this fall:

Albion – Harrison Kuta, medicine

Albion – Ashlyn Krohn, physical therapy

Axtell – Audrey Nelson, occupational therapy

Blair – Theodore Lueders, medicine

Brainard – Kody Tejral, pharmacy

Cambridge – Brodie Mitchell, medicine

Central City – Derek Pfeifer, dentistry

Central City – Dylan Pfeifer, physician assistant

Columbus – Kelyn Garrelts, medicine

Columbus – Brenden Sloup, medicine

Columbus – Reagan Messersmith, physician assistant

Columbus – Noah Lawrence, pharmacy

Columbus – Adoriyan Daniels, physical therapy

Columbus – Bohden Jedlicka, dentistry

Columbus – Jack Faust, physical therapy

Craig – Erin Jensen, nursing

Dannebrog – Alexys Hurt, radiography

Elgin – Skyler Meis, pharmacy

Fairbury – Eliana Livingston, medicine

Farwell – Olivia Koperski, radiography

Fremont – Caitlin Pitt, medicine

Funk – Lexie Eckhoff, physician assistant

Gibbon – Skyler Summers, medicine

Grand Island – Ayonya Birthi, medicine

Grand Island – Ben Alberts, medicine

Grand Island – Audrianna Wiseman, medical laboratory science

Grand Island – Owen Bjerke, nursing

Grand Island – Gracie Woods, physician assistant

Grand Island – Jacob Stegman, physical therapy

Grand Island – Michael Sambula-Monzalvo, dentistry

Hastings – Karol Redinger, physician assistant

Hooper – Kaylee Hilbers, nursing

Howells – Blair Fiala, physical therapy

Kearney – Carter Cochran, medicine

Kearney – Emily Korb, medicine

Kearney – Ella Amato, radiography

Kenesaw – Madeline Pulver, nursing

Lemoyne – McKenna Krueger, nursing

Lexington – Molly Dowling, nursing

Linwood – Alli Jelinek, pharmacy

Malcolm – Zane Zoucha, radiography

Marquette – Jacob Nokelby, medicine

Merna – Carlee Bartak, pharmacy

Norfolk – Lauren Preister, pharmacy

North Bend – Rebekah Voss, occupational therapy

North Platte – Calie Troyer, nursing

North Platte – Nathan Unger, medicine

Plattsmouth – Carter Moss, medicine

Potter – Jayden Shoemaker, physical therapy

Schuyler – Kathryn Tzunux, nursing

Spalding – Emma Rankin, physician assistant

St. Libory – John Placke, medicine

St. Paul – Jenna Jakubowski, nursing

St. Paul – Samuel Kramer, pharmacy

St. Paul – Paytyn Larsen, radiography

Wisner – August Heller, nursing

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