Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Isabella Menzel-Smith, center, a third-year biological sciences student at Michigan Technological University, received one of nine statewide $1,000 Gary Easton Scholarship Awards.

HANCOCK — For the first time in six years, a student working at Canal View – Houghton County has received a scholarship from the Michigan County Medical Care Facilities Council (MCMCFC).

Isabella Menzel-Smith, a third-year biological sciences student at Michigan Technological University, received one of nine $1,000 Gary Easton Scholarship Awards.

“It’s exciting,” said Kim Salmi, administrator at Canal View. “I hope it inspires other people to apply and go on to further education.”

Menzel-Smith has been a certified nursing assistant at Canal View since May, primarily in geriatric care.

“I have a passion for helping people, and I’m a very social person,” she said. “I thought health care was a way to take those two passions and bring them together. And I want to make sure rural areas have high-quality health care.”

After graduating from Tech, Menzel-Smith plans to go to physician assistant school.

To be considered for the scholarship, a student must be employed at an MCMCFC member facility, or the spouse or child of an employee. They must also be a junior or senior with a major falling within health or human services. Extracurricular activities and community service are also considered.

The council is the statewide association of county-owned medical care facilities dedicated to the care and treatment of patients who must be released from an acute care hospital, but are still in need of skilled nursing services, therapeutic and/or rehabilitation services. The organization has funded about $170,000 in scholarships since 1989.