WDA Foundation awards $14,000 in dental and hygiene scholarships

CONTACT:  Victoria M. Bohman, Executive Director, 414-755-4198 (direct), [email protected]

WEST ALLIS, WIS., July 20, 2011 – The Wisconsin Dental Association Foundation recently awarded $14,000 in scholarships to 11 dental and hygiene students in the state.

WDA Foundation tuition and Alliance scholarships were awarded May 17 at the Wisconsin Club in Milwaukee. From left, recipients Dr. Dawn Paffel of Neenah, Chad Seubert of Marathon and Tracy Engelmann of Wausaukee with WDA Foundation President Dr. Anthony Sciascia of Mondovi. Not in attendance were recipients Cathleen Raz of Hales Corners and Christopher Streff of Monroe.

Four Wisconsin students in their third year at Marquette University School of Dentistry each received $2,500 after demonstrating academic achievement, motivation, character and financial need.

Tracy Engelmann of Wausaukee originally wanted to be a high school math teacher. A chance remark from her hometown dentist, “You can come back and take over for me,” changed her professional direction.

Growing up around her mother’s dental practice, Hales Corners native Cathleen Raz saw firsthand the stresses and rewards that come with the daily operation of a dental office.

For Chad Seubert of Marathon, the road to dentistry began when a dislocated elbow introduced him to the world of health care. A simple suggestion by his family dentist helped him zero in on dentistry.

Christopher Streff of Monroe chose dentistry after shadowing his family dentist. “I vividly remember leaning over the dentist’s shoulder and watching him cut a crown prep and being absolutely amazed by the skill and artistry involved,” he recalls.

Recent MUSOD graduate Dr. Dawn Paffel of Neenah received the $1,000 WDA Foundation/Alliance Scholarship. This award is granted by the foundation using funds donated by the now-disbanded Women’s Alliance of the WDA. It is given to a married Wisconsin resident in his or her second, third or fourth year of dental school. Paffel is the first of her extended family to attend college and is working in a rural practice.

Six Wisconsin technical college dental hygiene students have each been awarded $500 each. Hygiene scholarship recipients must be state residents and demonstrate academic achievement and financial need. The schools, their scholarship recipients and students’ cities of residence include:

• Chippewa Valley Technical College – Wendy Dahleen of New Auburn
• Fox Valley Technical College – Amanda Rose of Freedom
• Northcentral Technical College – (to be determined)
• Northeast Wisconsin Technical College – Katie M. Lyles of Shawano
• Waukesha County Technical College – Ashley Brunnbauer of Sheboygan
• Western Technical College – Samantha Melby of Ettrick

The WDA Foundation was created as the charitable arm of the Wisconsin Dental Association in 1957 and is a proud member of Community Health Charities of Wisconsin. For more information, call 414-276-4520, visit our WDA.org website and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube.