Haven Spoon

A big welcome to Haven Spoon of Arkoma, OK, who received a $2000.00 scholarship to UAFS where she is working towards her BSN degree with plans to graduate in December 2024. This ambitious young woman witnessed her family go through many struggles – mental health, physical health and diagnosing difficulty which spurred her interest in becoming a nurse. She would love to be a part of administration or the state board of nursing where she could be an “advocate for the ill and colleagues.” She also wants to one day become a nurse practitioner. This high achiever wants to “leave an impression in this big world when she is gone.”

We believe you can do just that, Haven!

Kobe Panis

We are pleased to introduce Kobe Panis of Greenwood, AR who received a $2000.00 scholarship to UAFS where is he working towards his RN-BSN degree with plans to graduate in Spring 2023. His mom was the person who introduced him to healthcare as she is a 29-year Practice Manager for family practice and occupational medicine providers. They inspired him to become a nurse.

He will work at a local pharmacy to learn as much as he can while starting nursing school.  He hopes to become an APRN in the near future. We are thrilled to have you in the program, Kobe!

Miranda Smith

Please welcome Miranda Smith of Barling, AR,  working on her Doctorate of Nursing Practice – Nurse Midwifery degree and received a $4000.00 scholarship to the University of Tennessee for Fall 2023 & Spring 2024. She plans to graduate in 2025.

On her application, she stated, “the medical profession is not a choice but a calling for those who want to invest back into the communities supporting them.”  She understands the lack of obstetric and gynecological care for women in Arkansas and feels that “Nurse Midwives are an answer to effectively collaborate and provide state-of-the-art care with institutions like UAMS and OU Medical Center.” She continued to say, “from foster care to graduation, my small town of Clarksville rallied to help me destroy generational chains,” and wants to invest back into the state that took care of her. Her soul “yearns to cultivate a clinic in the Arkansas River Valley that provides specialized care for at-risk teen mothers and their children.“

We are behind you 100% Miranda!

Catherine Owen

Introducing Ms. Catherine Owen of Fort Smith, AR.  She received a $3,000.00 Fall 2023-Spring 2024 Scholarship to John Brown University where she is working on her Masters in Clinical Health Counseling.  She received her BS in Neuroscience from Rhodes College in 2020 and while taking an opportunity to intern with a local counseling group, conduct neuroscientific and psychological research, she developed “insight and passion for mental health counseling and a specific interest in treating substance abuse, trauma, and related neuropsychological phenomena.” She plans to graduate in Spring 2025, and we cannot wait for her to start working right here in the River Valley area!

Stephanie Marcom

Meet Ms. Stephanie Marcom of Cedarville, AR who received a $3,000.00 Scholarship to Chamberlain University for the Fall 2022-Spring 2023 semesters. She is working on her MSN to be a Family Nurse Practitioner and will graduate in April 2024.  Ms. Marcom started out as an LPN, got her Associates Degree, and then graduated with her BSN in 2018.  She began her journey to achieve the MS in FNP in 2019 but when COVID hit, a stint as an ICU nurse took its toll on her mental health.

She took a detour as a travel nurse recruiter where she could still support nurses. As time passed, she missed her true calling and stated, “I am grateful for the time I spent away from my career because it reiterated why I became a nurse in the first place.”  Now, she is almost done achieving her goal.  We are proud to support you, Stephanie, and are grateful you made the decision to come back to nursing.

Devon Hughes

Ms. Devon Hughes of Fort Smith, AR has been in the Degen Scholarship Program since Fall 2021.  She received her fourth $1,500.00 scholarship to Northeastern State University where she is working towards becoming a Physician’s Assistant. She will graduate this December 2023!  This hardworking, tenacious young woman and mother of one has furthered her education to reach her dreams.  After graduating from Carl Albert State College in 2011 with a degree in radiology – she needed a challenge and has risen to the occasion.  Thank you and Congratulations, Devon! Keep rising to the top!

Introducing Isabella Davis of Greenwood, AR, who is attending the Radiography Program at UAFS and will graduate in Spring 2024. She received a $2000.00 scholarship for the Fall 2023-Spring 2024 semester. She is following in the footsteps of family members in the medical field: her mother is an RN, her sister is in nursing school, and her grandmother was a “well-known x-ray tech” at Sparks Hospital. She wants to further her education and go into Radiation Therapy after graduation. Faith and family are especially important to her. She stays busy working at a coffee shop in Fort Smith in addition to going to the lake with her friends and family.

Junelle Balagtas

The Degen Foundation welcomes Ms. Junelle Balagtas of Barling, AR, to our scholarship program.  She is in her senior year and received a $2000.00 scholarship that will go towards her BSN at UAFS for the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters. She will graduate in December 2023 and wants to be a Labor/Delivery nurse or an NICU nurse after graduation. This busy young woman works two jobs in addition to volunteering, gardening, cooking and hanging out with friends and family. We hope to see her smiling face at one of our local hospitals in 2024.