Grass Valley – Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation recently awarded three Nevada Union graduates with the 2023 Barbara Schmidt Millar Scholarship. The recipients are Megan Conway, Sophia La Juenesse, and Madison Pritle. Conway plans to attend William Jessup University and focus on family medicine. La Juenesse plans to attend UC Santa Cruz and is interested in global health and emergency medicine. Pritle will be studying pre-nursing at Sierra College before transferring to a nursing program and is interested in emergency medicine and labor and delivery.

Barbara Schmidt Millar scholarship recipients celebrate with the committee and share their plans for the future. Pictured left to right: Liz Dreher (scholarship committee), Sophia La Juenesse, Megan Conway, Madison Pritle, and Cathy Anderson Meyers (scholarship committee)
Barbara Schmidt Millar scholarship recipients celebrate with the committee and share their plans for the future.

The Barbara Schmidt Millar Scholarships Program is dedicated to Nevada Union Senior females who are graduating and pursuing a career in the medical field. The scholarship’s namesake, Barbara Schmidt Millar, graduated from Nevada Union High School in 1971 and received a nursing degree from Fresno State University. Barbara died of cancer in 1992 and the Barbara Schmidt Millar Triathlon was created to honor her and support local breast cancer patients at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital. Proceeds from the event have funded free mammograms and these scholarships. Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation manages the fund and fundraising for the programs.

“We are so proud of this year’s scholarship recipients and their aspiration to service our medical community, locally, nationally and globally,” said Sandra Barrington Executive Director of Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation. “While the triathlon event will not be taking place, the mission and purpose of the program will continue. Over the years the program has provided nearly 1,400 free mammograms to the community and $230,000 in scholarships.”

Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation reports that they are saying farewell to the triathlon event citing challenges with drought, the pandemic, and increasingly intense and unpredictable wildfire seasons. Multiple years of decreased participation was also cited as an important factor in this decision.  Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation will continue to fundraise for the breast care program and scholarships and plan to continue to provide the services for the Barbara Schmidt Millar Program.

For more information and to make a donation, please visit www.supportsierranevada.org.