The Annual Scholarship Recognition Dinner for 2022
It was more than a million…. dollars, that is.
The UMKC School of Dentistry distributed more than 400 awards to more than 200 dental hygiene, dental, and advanced education students from 182 endowed scholarship funds plus outside regional and national awards, totaling more than $1,200,000, a 10% increase over 2021. These scholarships and awards recognize student accomplishments in academics, diversity, leadership, clinical skills, patient care, and desire to give back to others.
Assistant Dean Richard H. Bigham welcomed the audience, and Dean Steven E. Haas presided over the recognition of the scholarship donors and recipients. In his remarks, Dean Haas noted “scholarship support is extremely important for students for many reasons:
Scholarships provide an opportunity for people to earn an education.
Scholarships help students have more time to focus on their studies.
Scholarships help fill gaps for those who cannot totally afford school costs and those who do not qualify for need-based financial aid.
The cost of education has significantly increased over time. Today our graduates are faced on average a staggering debt when completing the dental hygiene program and dental program. These amounts are significant and impact their practice and life decisions. UMKC School of Dentistry is lucky to have such strong supporters through the Dr. Roy J. Rinehart Foundation, the Dental Alumni Association and Dental Hygiene Alumni Association to help our students lighten this burden, allowing UMCK to offer a quality education at an incredible value.”
This year’s new scholarships also were announced: the GEHA Solutions Diversity in Dental Hygiene Scholars & GEHA Solutions Diversity in Dentistry Scholars, Dr. Robert G. Marx Scholarship, and the Dan Root Memorial Scholarship.
The proceedings included comments from Danial Canady, DDS Class of 2023 and Shairry Lene, Dental Hygiene class of 2023 who offered reflections on how scholarships have impacted finances during school and their plans after graduation. Dr. Nick Rogers, Alumni Donor and Chair of the Roy J. Rinehart Foundation shared the history of the foundation, the role and responsibility of alums and donors and they many ways they can give back.
Photos from the event and candids.
Group photos.
