Mat-Su Health Foundation Awards $2.6 Million in Health/Human Services Scholarships

This year’s scholarship recipients reflect a broad range of educational goals and backgrounds. Some are just beginning their academic journeys as incoming college freshmen, while others are already active in their professional fields. A total of 264 students are renewing their scholarships to continue their studies in health and human services.

The foundation is supporting 225 new scholarship recipients this year. The majority of recipients—329—are undergraduates. Forty-eight are high school seniors preparing to enter college, and 112 recipients are graduate students advancing their professional expertise. The top areas of study among recipients are nursing, behavioral health, and allied health fields such as physical therapy, pharmacy, and speech-language pathology.

The scholarship fulfillment demonstrates a strong commitment to Alaska’s future: 207 of this year’s awardees—55 percent—will attend in-state institutions, with more than $1.6 million, or 61 percent of the total funding, going toward in-state tuition. Every dollar that MSHF devotes to Mat-Su or Alaska has significant direct and indirect economic benefits, such as generating jobs and income across Mat-Su and Alaska, and supporting local businesses, government, and families.

The foundation offers scholarships in two categories: academic scholarships for students pursuing degrees within health and human services, and vocational scholarships to assist with the cost of training and certifications for jobs in health and human services fields. Scholarships are awarded based on how well each applicant meets MSHF’s eligibility criteria, including financial need and career choice. In the past five years, MSHF has awarded 2,082 academic scholarships totaling more than $10 million.

MSHF is the official business name of Valley Hospital Association, which is a partial owner of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Since its inception in 2008, the MSHF scholarship program has adapted to meet evolving community needs. Unlike traditional merit-based models, this program is need-based, specifically designed to support students who might not otherwise have access to higher education. Now entering its seventeenth year, the program continues to create direct and meaningful impact—helping individuals pursue educational opportunities, fostering economic mobility, and strengthening the local health and human services workforce.