WILSONVILLE, Ore. – Six Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech)/Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) students from the state’s only bachelor’s program in Medical Laboratory Science recently were recognized for their academic and other accomplishments with awards of national and state scholarships amounting to $18,500.
Known for the highly competitive nature of the program, admitting only 50 students per year, the joint degree between Oregon Tech and OHSU was established by OHSU in 1933 and is the only four-year degree program of its kind in the state, and the largest in the Pacific Northwest. Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) is a health profession that provides laboratory information and services needed for the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The importance of the need for highly qualified individuals to do complex laboratory testing has never been more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Six students from the program, all graduating in December 2020, received high accolades this year as they were awarded prestigious scholarships in recognition of their past academic and professional accomplishments. The students include Mariana Salcido (Medford), Molly Wynn (Baker City), Kyar Thin (South San Francisco, California), Laura Kelley (Akron, Ohio), Isis-Dominique Navarro (Gresham) and Trevor Davis (Baker City). The awards are as follows:
- American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) Education and Research Fund, Inc.
- Mariana Salcido- $2,000 Southern Scholarship, an honorary gift from the wife of Dan Southern, a past chair of the E&R Fund.
- Molly Wynn- $1,500 Kanuth MLS Scholarship, a memorial gift from the family of Michelle Kanuth, a past chair of the E&R Fund.
- Portland Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
- Kyar Thin- $1,000
- American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS)- Oregon, Betsy Baptist Memorial Scholarships
- Laura Kelley- $4,000
- Molly Wynn- $4,000
- Alpha Mu Tau Fraternity (AMTF) Undergraduate Scholarships
- Isis-Dominique Navarro- $2,000
- Trevor Davis- $2,000
- Laura Kelley- $2,000
Awarded both the national and state ASCLS scholarships, Molly Wynn responded, “I am very honored to have been chosen to receive this scholarship, and thankful that I am able to continue my education without as much financial pressure to succeed. Receiving this scholarship feels not only like recognition for my hard work, but also encouragement to continue to achieve my goals. I'm very grateful to have ASCLS cheering me on, and I look forward to representing the society to future students when I am part of the field.” The Oregon ASCLS scholarship was created in honor of former OHSU faculty member Betsy Baptist.
Awarded the Betsy Baptist ASCLS scholarship and AMTF scholarship, Laura Kelley shared that she has always been interested in health care. “When I found out about the field of Medical Laboratory Science, I knew it was right for me,” said Laura. “Oregon Tech has a renowned program with some of the most compassionate, intelligent professors I have ever studied under.”
Kyar Thin, awardee of the Portland Chapter of DAR scholarship in memory of past members Margaret Armstrong and Dr. Martha Hamilton, thanks DAR for “their generosity which will help me achieve my educational goal and ultimately serve the community as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.”
The awarding of three of 16 scholarships from AMTF to Oregon Tech students this year is a testament to the quality of students within the program and the teaching of the faculty. “I am very honored to receive this award, and would like to give thanks to the faculty of the MLS program at Oregon Tech,” said Trevor Davis. “Since starting the program they have all been very supportive of us, and really show that they care about this profession and the success of all of their students. I became interested in the MLS program at Oregon Tech after graduating from OSU with a degree in microbiology. I knew I wanted to further my education and use my skills in the lab to help people by working in the field of health care.”
Also awarded the AMTF scholarship, Isis Navarro shared, “Medical Lab Science combines my altruistic nature with my love for medical science and attention to detail. It's never boring because MLS encompasses so many different subjects and every patient case ends up being its own puzzle to solve.”
Asked what interested her in the program at Oregon Tech, recipient of the ASCLS Southern Scholarship Mariana Salcido said: “It provided an excellent in-depth and hands-on approach to learning, allowing us to develop knowledge and skills in the areas of the MLS career before we even enter the field. I would like to thank Mrs. Southern and the ASCLS for providing this scholarship, and I am very grateful and honored to be the recipient of this generous gift.”
Located at Oregon Tech’s Portland-Metro campus in the city of Wilsonville, the MLS program trains students in labs built to spec, so students are learning in the same environments in which they will eventually work. With a low student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1, students get the attention they need from the program’s faculty. Graduates of the Oregon Tech/OHSU program are in professional positions at virtually every medical lab in Oregon, and with many working in nearby states. More information regarding the MLS degree through Oregon Tech and OHSU is available here: www.oit.edu/academics/degrees/medical-laboratory-science.
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