Dylan Reinhardt was enjoying the chance to familiarize himself with the UNMC campus.
Kaitlyn Bergfield was impressed by the quality of the labs at UNMC.
The two college undergraduates were part of a special group of students, who will one day attend UNMC, who got a sneak peek at the campus this week.
On Sept. 28, 93 undergraduate students – representing UNMC’s three rural health education pipeline programs – spent the day touring campus, learning about how to succeed at UNMC and the different health care professions they are enrolled in.
The students are from Chadron State, Peru State and Wayne State colleges, and the University of Nebraska at Kearney, (UNK). They are active in the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP), the Kearney Health Opportunities Program (KHOP) and the Public Health Early Admissions Student Track (PHEAST).
These early admission programs are designed to address the special needs of rural Nebraska by encouraging rural residents to pursue a career in the health care fields. Students selected are guaranteed admission to UNMC as long as all stated requirements are met and the pre-professional studies at each of the undergraduate colleges.
The RHOP program began in 1990. Once accepted into it, students obtain early admission into one of nine health professions at UNMC. More than 60 percent of RHOP graduates go on to practice in rural communities.
Two new programs were developed out of RHOP’s success – PHEAST, which targets undergraduates interested in public health careers began in 2011, and KHOP, which targets high school seniors interested in family medicine, began in 2010.
The students are listed below in alphabetical order by hometown, name and school.
Ansley – Maria Terrazas – Chadron State College
Ashland – Leslie Chudomelka – Wayne State
Arcadia – Kayla Lane – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Arlington – Mitchell Thompson – Wayne State College
Atkinson – MacKenzie Hale – Chadron State College
Auburn – Chelsea Haynes – Chadron State College
Aurora – Tanner Griffith – Wayne State College; Elizabeth Morris – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Beemer – Steven Schutte – Wayne State College
Bellevue – Lindsey Cork – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Benkelman – Aubrey Peckham – Wayne State College
Blair – Jocelyn Dolphin – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Callaway – Kate Hansel – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Cambridge – Breanna Eubanks – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Chadron – Brenton Bussinger, Ashtyn Nelson – Chadron State College
Clarkson – Jenna Podany – Wayne State College
Columbus – Rebekah Hackett, Derek Lahm – Wayne State College; Taylor McDuffee – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Cozad – Courtney Brown – Wayne State College
Crete – Nathan Harms, Alexis Page – University of Nebraska at Kearney
David City – Maggie Gahan – Chadron State College; Jonah Scheffler – Wayne State College
Dixon – Michaela Nitz – Wayne State College
Elm Creek – Justine Bauer – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Franklin – Tristan Bruce – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Fremont – William Oliver – Chadron State College; Jordan Samson – Wayne State College
Friend – Mariah Hulse – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Gothenburg – Kaylee Beyea – Wayne State College
Grand Island – McKenzie Douglass, Kati Frankenberg – University of Nebraska at Kearney; Jacqueline Christensen – Wayne State College
Gurley – Garrett Westman – Chadron State College
Hartington – Chase Dendinger, Hannah Lauer – Wayne State College
Hay Springs – Jaycee Housh – Chadron State College
Hemingford – Kaitlyn Bergfield – Wayne State College
Hershey – Emily Dethlefs – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Holdrege – Haley Schroeder – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Howells – Breanne Brester – Wayne State College
Humboldt – Noah Sherman – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Imperial – Daniel Sullivan – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Juniata – Cassandra Karr, Brittany Trausch – University of Nebraska at Kearney; Samuel Rayburn – Wayne State College
Kearney – Katherine Berke, Megan Lear, Zachary Sutton – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Lexington – Taylor Bennett – Chadron State College
Lincoln – Dylan Reinhardt – Peru State College
Lodgepole – Cody Rowley – Chadron State College
McCook – Patricia Mitnik – Chadron State College; Alaini Priebe – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Milford – Alex Kenney – Peru State College
Norfolk – Danielle Raeside – University of Nebraska at Kearney; Colby Spence – Wayne State College
North Bend – Mary Alderson – Wayne State College
North Platte – Colton Hall – Chadron State College; Johnna Halsted – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Oakland – Megan Byrnes – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Oconto – Rebecca Still – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Osceola – Stephanie Steele – Chadron State College
Papillion – Meghan Krajicek – Chadron State College
Plattsmouth – Macayla Mucha – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Randolph – McRae Stubbs – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Roseland – Josie Parr – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Rushville – Cassidy Bruns – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Schuyler – Kylie Goodrich, Casey Wisnieski, Cody Wisnieski – Wayne State College
Scottsbluff – Robert Cantril, Jonathan Sayaloune – Chadron State College; Traver Pettijohn – Peru State College
Sidney – Leah Uhlir – Chadron State College
Spencer – Kimberly Hiatt – Wayne State College
St. Paul – Ryley Schulte – Chadron State College
Sterling – Gerrit VanEngen – Wayne State College
Stuart – Brittany Hanzlik – University of Nebraska at Kearney; Samantha Sattler – Wayne State College
Sutherland – Joslyn Burke – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Sutton – Nicholas Hohensee – Peru State College
Valentine – Brianna Bussinger – Chadron State College; Sheville Lee – Wayne State College
Wakefield – Alexander Conley – Wayne State College
Wauneta – Lesley Towery – University of Nebraska at Kearney
Wayne – Amanda Hurlbert, Sydney McCorkindale – Wayne State College
West Point – Bobby Hansen – Wayne State College
Winside – Brittany Janke – Wayne State College
York – Lu Wang – Wayne State College
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