Youth Volunteer Scholarship Recipients!

For over a decade, Carilion Clinic’s Volunteer Services department has awarded scholarship funds to remarkable young people who have served in our programs. This year, we invited the scholarship recipients to our annual Volunteer Gala so we could honor and celebrate them along with their families. Each recipient has dedicated their time and energy to at least one of our Summer of Service programs here at Carilion Clinic, with many of them returning for multiple summers and continuing their volunteer work through the school year. These youth have proven that service is not just an activity for their resume, but a calling—one that they embrace with enthusiasm, dedication, and a deep sense of purpose.

Last night, we were proud to award $10,000 in scholarship funds, which will help support the students' future academic and career pursuits. What makes this even more special is that this entire amount was raised by the volunteers themselves—through the incredible work they’ve done with our Hospitality Cart program. These young people have shown that when you work together with compassion and determination, you can make a real difference—not just in the lives of others, but in your own future as well.

The scholarship recipients have also navigated a rigorous application process, which included submitting personal essays, academic records, multiple letters of recommendation, and evaluations of their volunteer service. A committee of Volunteer Services staff and adult volunteers carefully reviewed each application and selected a group of outstanding individuals who stood out not only for their academic excellence, but for their unwavering commitment to service.

Please join me in recognizing these amazing young people who will be heading off to college in the fall:

$1,000 - Maya Ghobrial (Hidden Valley High School -- University of Virginia)
$1,000 - Emma Matthews (William Byrd High School -- James Madison University)
$1,500 - Himangi Tiwari (Patrick Henry HS/Roanoke Valley Governor's School -- Virginia Tech)
$1,500 - Ronisha Upreti (Hidden Valley High School -- Wellesley College)
$2,000 - Melany Lopez-Cisneros (Northside High School -- University of Virginia)
$3,000 - Hannah Mizuba (Lord Botetourt HS/Roanoke Valley Governor's School -- University of Virginia)