Regional Scholarship Helps Paint a Picture of Health
With the nation experiencing workforce shortages across many walks of life, graduating college students are likely to stretch their legs and consider opportunities outside the borders of Chautauqua County. Thanks to Chautauqua Region Community Foundation scholarships and their financial support, more locals are choosing to return home to make a professional impact in the health care field.
The Genevieve “Jen” Carlson Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 2010 to support students attending medical and dental school, and has done just that, awarding over 50 scholarships and helping dozens of students to earn their degrees. In recent years, recipients of the Genevieve “Jen” Carlson Memorial Scholarship Fund returned to the area with an interest in supporting the health of our community.
Dr. Paul Robbins (left), and Dr. Shelby Rauh (right)
One in particular, Dr. Paul Robbins, encourages others to follow his lead in returning home. A 2004 graduate of Jamestown High School, Dr. Robbins returned to Jamestown after studying at the University of Notre Dame, the George Washington School of Public Health, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Medical College of Georgia. He had a lifelong calling to medicine, planned for years to become a physician, and established his practice at the Chautauqua Center in July of 2020.
“I’m indebted to the generosity of the community, from mentors, to coaches, to those in health care. They invested in me in so many ways and helped pull me through to where I am today. Now it’s my turn to help others reach their goals, and be someone who can help others along their journey.”
Dr. Shelby Rauh, another recipient of the Genevieve “Jen” Carlson Memorial Scholarship Fund, received multiple scholarship awards from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation to help with the education required to become a dentist. Before ever leaving for college, Dr. Rauh knew her goal was to return to the region, where she could work alongside the many mentors she learned from throughout her development.
She added, "I always planned on returning, and the experience getting situated and being part of a growing operation with Southern Tier Family Dentistry is beyond anything I could have hoped."
The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation is fortunate to be a part of positive change and impact by connecting donors with unmet needs.
Donations to grow the Genevieve “Jen” Carlson Scholarship Fund can increase the impact on the medical and dental students of the future, just like Dr. Robbins and Dr. Rauh. Those gifts can be made online here or by mailing a check to Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, 418 Spring St., Jamestown, NY 14701.
The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation administers over 700 endowments in support of emerging community needs, charitable organizations and local students pursuing higher education. For more information, click here or contact Lisa Lynde, Donor Services Officer at (716) 661-3390 or llynde@crcfonline.org.
