The Thomas Hospital Auxiliary has awarded $8,000 in scholarships to four Baldwin County residents pursuing careers in healthcare. Each recipient will receive a $2,000 scholarship to support their studies.

The recipients include Grace Doleac of Daphne, who is pursuing a master's degree as a nurse practitioner at the University of South Alabama while working at the Thomas Hospital Birth Center. Angelica Henson, also from Daphne, is studying nursing at the University of Alabama and works in the Thomas Hospital Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Kaitlin Mixon, another Daphne resident, is enrolled in the nursing program at Auburn University and is an active member of the Thomas Hospital Auxiliary. Briana Smith of Robertsdale is pursuing a nursing degree at the University of South Alabama.

The scholarship winners were selected based on academic excellence, financial need, extracurricular involvement and dedication to their career goals. Rusty Downey, Chair of the Thomas Hospital Auxiliary Health Career Scholarship Committee, and Co-Chair David Younce, conducted the interviews and made the selections.

Since 1999, the Thomas Hospital Auxiliary has awarded 100 scholarships, totaling more than $212,000, to support the education of future healthcare professionals.

To be eligible, applicants must be Baldwin County residents enrolled full-time in an accredited healthcare program at the junior level or above, or in a post-graduate program. Applications for the scholarships open in February and are due in May.

Funding for these scholarships comes from memorial donations and various fundraisers, including the Auxiliary's annual holiday silent art auction and the sale of used books and puzzles in the Thomas Hospital lobby.