Dr. Karl Stockhausen Memorial Scholarship
The Dr. Karl Stockhausen Memorial Scholarship was established to assist medical students who have a strong dedication to the service of others and/or who have overcome, or continue to have, financial, physical, or cultural challenges on their way to becoming a physician in the service of others.
Dr. Karl Stockhausen wanted to spend his life in the service of healing others, especially in third world countries. He attended the American University of the Caribbean (AUC), and he twice joined surgical teams providing health care in Honduras. He also worked for three months in La Parroquia, Guatemala, assisting in free healthcare clinics for the indigenous community.
As part of his medical training, Stockhausen completed a clinical rotation in infectious diseases in Mumbai, India, a surgical and OB/GYN rotation and a rotation in an HIV outpatient health clinic in London, UK, and several rotations in New York City. He showed a particular passion for learning about international health systems, and made it a personal goal to have a hand in improving global health care.
He was 24 years old and in medical school when he was afflicted by Acute Multifocal Posterior Placoid Pigment Epitheliopathy (AMPPPE), a rare eye disease that left him with blind spots in both eyes. This condition qualified him for special provisions in medical school, such as unlimited time to take tests, but he refused to make use of the exceptional treatment. His condition did not deter him; he kept on in medical school despite the handicap.
He was a fighter. He was diagnosed with cancer at age 26, but Karl finished and graduated medical school with honors while battling the cancer for two years without complaint. He had secured a prestigious Emergency Medicine residency at Einstein, Jacoby Medical Hospital in the Bronx, New York. Unfortunately, his cancer worsened and he was unable to begin his residency.
The cancer took his life, but it did not diminish his indomitable spirit or will to be of service to others.
Even with the eye disease and cancer he was able to donate his corneas and gave sight to a man in Battle Creek, Michigan and a woman in New Milford, New Jersey. Having been treated at the Melanoma Clinic of the University of Michigan Cancer Center, he also donated his body to the UoM Medical School. His choice to be a donor was the ultimate gift, which affected the lives of the medical students that learned from his body, and consequently the patients that those students treated when they became doctors.
Dr. Karl Stockhausen had a passion for helping others and fighting overwhelming odds to accomplish his goal. He was a driven and dedicated individual who always found time to give, even after tragically losing his life to cancer at the young age of 28.
This Scholarship for medical students currently attending AUC is set up through the DeVry Education Group to give assistance to students that most emulate the spirit of Dr. Karl Stockhausen, and/or have continued to prevail despite trials, setbacks and challenges. A total of up to $15,000 in scholarships will be awarded annually to up to three AUC students and disbursed beginning with the September semester.
If you would like to donate to the scholarship you can go here.
Among other requirements Scholarship applicants must write two essays with the following subject matter:
Complete an essay on one of the following three topics (no more than 500 words): 1. Describe your service to others through medicine, and your tenacity and accomplishment while under pressure. 2. Discuss the significant challenges you have encountered in your life, what you did to overcome these challenges and what positive impact you have made as a result. 3. Describe your experience in performing a clinical rotation in a third world country, disadvantaged community, or equivalent, and how it affected your outlook on providing medical care to those less fortunate.
Complete an essay on the following topic (no more than 500 words): In what ways have you contributed to your community, work or charitable organization? Beyond your career aspirations or current employment, how do you plan to use your degree to enrich and give back to your community?
Scholarship Awardees
2015
David Kenneally, $5000:
· teenage parent
· worked two jobs in order to provide for his wife & child and save money to eventually attend college
· he worked full time to put himself through college while juggling utility bills and trying to support his growing family – always 2 jobs
· his children’s school did not have a qualified computer science teacher and so in order to give them and the rest of the students an adequate education, he volunteered as the teacher for six years
· finally attending AUC full-time, with his older children being in college at the same time
· he continues to work as a programmer on breaks and holidays in order to financially support his family
Kevin Kresofsky, $5000:
· lost his dad at 13 y.o.
· wanted to give back to people
· joined multiple clubs and organizations at AUC
· the various clubs and organizations at AUC put together “community action day” every semester – had the opportunity to give back by participating in a variety of activities that range from cleaning up trash to painting orphanages
· after leaving the island continued with community action - participated in a basketball tournament for underprivileged students as a volunteer of the hospital at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, and also took part in a community health day with the hospital - during this event visited patients at their respective homes to give them healthcare information and guidance.
· wants to be able to provide care for patients in underserved neighborhoods. Not only to give care, but to provide this care pro-bono whenever possible so that no patient will be hesitant to bring forward their questions or concerns.
· would also love to open healthcare clinics in these underserved areas so that no patient goes untreated.
Vicken Zeitijian, $5000
· school community contributions stemmed from serving as president of the student body, with focus on service across the island
· was able to contribute to Project HELP (health, educate, literacy, prevention) free clinics, diabetes screening clinics, and organization of a school-wide donation program for the Battered Women’s Foundation of Saint Maarten
· After obtaining the MD degree from AUC, wants to participate in a mission trip to Armenia with an organization called Birthright
· Birthright organizes volunteer work in Armenia in various fields for youth between the ages of 20-32.
· He is Armenian by nationality and has always wanted to give back to his country through the medical branch of Birthright Armenia
· a previous trip to Honduras with Global Medical Brigades before starting medical school
· his goal is to go on a one-month mission after graduating medical school by April 2016 and before beginning residency
2016
Carson Schell, $5000
· Involved with the “White Yellow Cross”, a program consisting of approximately 14 clients with a varying degree of Alzheimer’s disease
· responsibility and opportunity to arrange volunteers for testing events, conduct training exercises, take sexual histories, conduct HIV tests and embrace the culture and attitudes that the AIDS Foundation strives to demonstrate
· was fortunate enough to receive a grant and purchased an auto-refractor that was instrumental in establishing the Caribbean Eye Screening Initiative
· was able to attain the contact information of a company that sells recycled eye wear and have been able to effectively distribute over 120 prescription eye glasses to children, free of charge
· he received the Karl Stockhausen Award in September 2015 and used the award to purchase vision screening device
Goli Shenasan, $5000
· volunteer experience of over 300 hours at hometown hospital
· organizing work for 4 years with the Red Cross
· in Cusco, Peru - volunteered 5 hours a day at an understaffed state clinic and another 5 hours a day at an orphanage to aid children who suffer from mental and physical disabilities
· in Peru learned how human compassion in the absence of adequate resources can change lives and prevent disease
· is multilingual, is supported by an excellent undergraduate education, and has the emotional/spiritual background of a family in which medicine has been and is a pillar
· while an undergraduate volunteered in a major hospital, and also was involved in research
· has tutored in four courses, has been an AMSA workshop coordinator, and possibly most demanding, is the current president of AMSA
Bryan Stringer, $5000
· raised in a family of volunteerism
· during second year of undergrad wrote the song “Cure”, dedicated to his mother and her fight with cancer
· performed the song at two of the largest fundraising events held by the Canadian Cancer Society
· As a 20 year cancer survivor, his mother mentors and is a counselor for other cancer victims, and uses his song to motivate and inspire these patients
· was a cofounder and volunteer coordinator of the White and Yellow Cross (WYC) Committee
· have served as a class tutor for cell biology, physiology and pathology
· was selected to be a Harvey Simulation Lab TA
2017
David Freeman, $3000
· Paramedic and paramedic instructor
· Certified advanced cardiac life support provider & instructor
· Healthcare provider & cardiopulmonary resuscitation provider & instructor
· Pediatric advanced life support provider and instructor
· Volunteer fire dept. emergency medical service
· Volunteering as a paramedic
· Teaching in AMSA airway management, basic & advanced suturing & intravenous phlebotomy
· Created workshop including video laryngoscopy & manual & mechanical intraosseous infusion
Patrick Padagor, $5000
· Grew up going on medical missions with his parents starting in high school
· Wants to continue to do medical missions as he always has but finally as a doctor
· Wants to give back to the Philippines where his parents came from
· Understands the need to give back to countries where they don’t have all that we do
· Wants to continue working on medical missions in Southeast Asia & countries torn by natural disaster
2018
Patrick Padagor, $5,000
· Volunteered in the Philippines 2 times
· H.A.N.D.S.: a program developed by Patrick and a group of his fellow AUC students. This program is designed to expand the existing diabetes screening done on island and to provide enhanced opportunities for Diabetes education aimed at prevention, early diagnosis, and control of the disease.
· volunteered in the outreach programs: ICAN orphanage
· He and an upper semester student became student leaders for the Zika Seroprevalence study for the AUC community.
· Volunteered with the SXM Player Development
· Goal: serve lowest communities who need help the most
Cole Uhland, $5,000
· Writing a clinical research case report of a rare case of metastatic basal cell carcinoma to the bone, which is generally known not to metastasize.
· Dr. Karl Stockhausen Student of the Semester Award Winner- November 2017
· Anatomy Teaching Assistant Jan 2017-August 2017
· Student Government Vice President May 2017-Jan 2018
· Curriculum Committee Student representative Jan 2017-Feb 2018
· Spent 6 months in a small village in northern Tanzania & worked in a few hospitals along with physicians and the hospital staff to assess their needs of medical equipment. Worked on a project to increase the reliability of autoclaves with an unreliable power source, as the power would go out and cause the machine to cool down, so the cycle would have to be repeated. Created a system using two motor cycle batteries and wiring that could be found at automobile stores in some of the larger villages. This system allowed the autoclave to keep running for 45 minutes in case of delays in starting the generator. After installation taught the hospital mechanic and his team how to make similar devices so that they could use them for other pieces of equipment in the hospital.
Blake Salisbury, $5,000
· Served others medical attention under pressure was with the National Ski Patrol, starting at age 17 for 10 years.
· AMSA, tutor, applied for HIV coordinator
2019
Kirk Sheplay, $5,000
· 15 Medical Missions around the world
· Goal to always serve the underprivileged of the world
· Ran the Community Action Day – 2 semesters
· Raised money for the Breakfast Club – free breakfast for local school students
· Met with local high school students to encourage them to pursue higher education
· Dream is to give medical care to people all over the world
Mariel Chan, $5,000
· Helping in local soup kitchens since high school
· As a doctor plans to designate a portion time to provide adequate healthcare to undeserved
· As a doctor plans to establish a strong rapport with patients, so they’ll be fully receptive to treatment
· Her desire is to make quality healthcare more accessible with disadvantaged communities
· Member of the Honor Service Society
· Community Action Day
· Is a regular volunteer at a local soup kitchen, recruits & coordinates teams volunteers
· Received the Karl Stockhausen Student of the Semester Award for the January 2019 sem.
· Fund post-Irma repairs to the kitchen & repairs on the van that transports the deliveries.
Moe Ameri, $3,000
· He was years old living in a family apartment inside his hospital during the Iraqi civil war
· He began doing research on breast cancer as an undergraduate student
· Pursuing a master's degree in biomedical sciences to expand knowledge of the medical field
· Volunteered to be part of the search and rescue and medical team after Hurricane Irma
· Chair at the relocation task force from St. Maarten to England
· Vice president of SGA and then the president of SGA during third and fourth semesters
· Believes in the values of service, commitment, perseverance, and resiliency
· He leads a group of 7 students in an unprecedented study of bush tea use in St Maarten
· Spearhead a student-led committee that organized an institution-wide 40th Anniversary Cel.