NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Jill E. McCormick, Director, Marketing & Planning
St. Edward Mercy Health System
Phone: 479-314-6037
Email: jill.mccormick@mercy.net

Two Local Students Receive Thoele Scholarship

Fort Smith, Ark. – June 2, 2009 - The Sisters of Mercy Health System (Mercy) has named 20 students as recipients of the 2009 Charles E. Thoele Scholarship Program with two of those students hailing from the River Valley. Recipients will receive $1,000 each to be used toward educational expenses at undergraduate and vocational-technical schools during the coming school year.

The Charles E. Thoele Scholarship Program was established by Mercy in 1993 to honor Mr. Thoele, a retired Mercy executive and board member.

The program awards 18 $1,000 scholarships annually to dependents of Mercy co-workers. Two additional scholarships are awarded each year to students from Sisters of Mercy-sponsored high schools.

This year’s Thoele Scholarship recipients were selected from a pool of 194 applicants. Recipients are selected based on academic achievement and personal character, as demonstrated by participating in school and community activities, work experience, leadership qualities, awards and honors, goal setting, and personal and school references.

The two students from our area include:

Cortney Barnhill
Daughter of William Barnhill
Director of Plant Operations
St. Edward Mercy Health System
College: University of Central Arkansas
Major: Physician Therapy
Dwight Roam
Son of Penny Roam
Health Info Service Clerk
St. Edward Mercy Health System
College: Carl Albert State College
Major: Criminal Justice