Gritman Foundation Awards 2026 Scholarships to Local Students
Each year, The Gritman Foundation proudly supports local students through academic scholarships.
Among this year’s scholarship recipients are three recent high school graduates and Gritman Junior Volunteers who shared how the scholarships will help them achieve their health care career goals.
Bethany Porras, 2026 Besst Family Scholarship Recipient
Bethany Porras, recipient of The Besst Family Scholarship, recently graduated from Logos High School in Moscow. The scholarship was established by Kara Besst, President and CEO at Gritman Medical Center, and her husband, Tim, in appreciation of the Junior Volunteer program. The scholarship recognizes students like Porras who show outstanding academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and leadership skills as Junior Volunteers at Gritman Medical Center.
As a Junior Volunteer, Porras assisted with various tasks around the hospital, including delivering stuffed frogs to patients and working in Bertie’s Gift Shop. Her experience volunteering at Gritman allowed her to learn about many of the different departments in the hospital.
Porras will be attending the University of Idaho to complete nursing prerequisites before she can apply to a nursing program. She said the scholarship will help her focus on her studies by saving time and money. She is currently considering different nursing professions, including travel nursing and emergency department nursing.
Hailey Wambeke, 2026 Chanda Morris Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Another recent graduate of Logos High School, Hailey Wambeke, was awarded the Chanda Morris Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship was established in memory of Chanda Morris, a Gritman Junior Volunteer who died in an auto accident in 1991. The scholarship is awarded to graduating high school seniors who have contributed a minimum of 40 hours to the volunteer program. Applicants do not need to be pursuing a degree in health care. However, Wambeke will attend U of I for pre-nursing. Her goal is to become a Nurse Practitioner, potentially in Family Medicine or Labor and Delivery.
During her time as a Junior Volunteer at Gritman, Wambeke noticed how well the different departments of the hospital communicate and work together to provide compassionate care to patients. She helped with various tasks, including cleaning the breakroom in the Emergency Department, restocking toys, organizing leftover supplies, and restocking blankets in the Emergency Department. She said her experience at Gritman helped her become more comfortable in a hospital setting.
Chloe Grieser, 2026 Midge Presol Medical Scholarship Recipient
Midge Presol Medical Scholarship recipient Chloe Grieser recently graduated from Genesee High School. The scholarship’s namesake served as Gritman’s director of nursing from 1982 until her death in 1999. She was an advocate of nursing education and known for encouraging her staff to always improve their skills.
Grieser plans to earn her prerequisites at Walla Walla Community College before transferring to a four-year university to finish a radiology program and cross-train in ultrasound. In the future, she also wants to study nuclear medicine and mammography. While going to school, she will also play on the Walla Walla Community College basketball team.
Grieser expressed how grateful she was to receive the scholarship.
“I am taking on the responsibility of paying for my own college, so the money is very appreciated,” she said. “I am so excited for this new journey and pressure is taken off when the financial burden is less. Working in the medical field has been something I have always wanted to do, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds. Thank you!”
In 2026, the Gritman Foundation awarded a total of $13,000 in scholarships to 11 students pursuing an education in the health care field.
2026 Scholarship Recipients:
Midge Presol Medical Scholarship ($1,000)
- Chloe Grieser, Genesee
- Chelsea Cronin, Clarkston
L. Clay Boyd Memorial Health Care Scholarship ($1,500)
- Gabriella Mack, Moscow
Dr. Francis K. Spain Idaho Rural Medicine Scholarship ($1,500)
- Ashley Lagrou, Post Falls
Roy H. Goetschel, Jr., Ph.D. Idaho Rural Medicine Scholarship ($1,500)
- Claire Qualls, Moscow
Dr. James M. Lyle Idaho Rural Medicine Award ($1,500)
- Benjamin Ting, Moscow
Maurine Cherrington Scholarship ($1,000)
- Bryce Hansen, Moscow
Chanda Morris Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)
- Hailey Wambeke, Moscow
The Besst Family Scholarship ($1,000)
- Bethany Porras, Viola
Janet Chisholm Martin Health Care Scholarship ($1,000)
- Dancia Salerno, Troy
- Kori Bovard, Deary
Gritman Medical Center is proud to support several scholarship awards as part of our commitment to future health care leaders in our region.
If you would like to support Gritman’s health care scholarships, please donate at gritman.org/give.
The 2027 Gritman Foundation Scholarship window will open in February 2027. Watch for more information at gritman.org/scholarships.
