Members of the Sewanee Hospitality Shop Auxiliary Board met on Jan. 7, at the Blue Chair with two of its current scholarship holders, Stevie King of Grundy County and Montana Coffelt from Franklin County, to explore the impact of their first semesters in college. King is interested in physical therapy and Coffelt in nursing.

The application process for the 2024 Hospitality Shop Auxiliary scholarship begins this month. Forms are available in the high school guidance offices and are due back to the counselors by the end of February. Each scholarship is $1,000 per year for students pursuing a career in healthcare and will follow the recipients through their programs for four years as long as they maintain at least a B average in college.

Both scholars urged students in high school to take advantage of dual enrollment at local colleges – Franklin County will pay for online college courses – and to take honors and AP classes whenever possible. Both efforts will prepare students for the increased difficulty of college classes. They suggested visiting college campuses to get a clear picture of where they would be going for their programs. Both students would like paid internships in healthcare during the summers to give a practical foundation to their course work. The Auxiliary Board is proud of the hard work of these scholars and looks forward to the selection of new scholars this spring.