St. Joseph’s Memorial Foundation and Emplify Health by Gundersen Hillsboro are proud to announce this year’s scholarship recipients, recognizing outstanding local students pursuing careers in healthcare.

 

This year’s “crop” of scholarships was made possible through the Foundation’s “Field of Dreams” project, a unique agricultural partnership that turns crops into educational opportunities for future healthcare professionals.

 

The “Field of Dreams” is a 15-acre plot of land donated by Guy and Lynne Nelson and planted and harvested by Don Slama and his team at Slama Farms, with additional support from Edward Liegel & Associates, Integrated Seed Solutions and United Co-op. The crops harvested from the field are sold, and the revenue is returned to the Foundation to fund scholarships for students pursuing healthcare-related education.

 

This year, St. Joseph’s Memorial Foundation awarded seven scholarships of $1,500 each to outstanding graduates from the region. The 2026 scholarship winners are Raegon Stanek (Hillsboro High School), Emma Schultz (Royall High School), Hallie Nemec (La Farge High School), Reagan Muehlenkamp (Brookwood High School), Bria Gruen (Royall High School), Chase Geiger (Wonewoc High School) and Raeleigh Anderson (Hillsboro High School).

 

“These scholarships are more than financial support — they are a vote of confidence in the potential of these students to make a difference in the world,” said Dan Howard, director of St. Joseph’s Memorial Foundation.

 

Emplify Health by Gundersen Hillsboro and St. Joseph’s Memorial Foundation congratulates this year’s recipients and thanks the donors and community partners who continue to invest in the future of rural healthcare.