CHICAGO (September 13, 2021) – The Dr. George and Emma J. Torrison Scholarship Fund makes scholarships available to students who intend to pursue careers in medicine. An endowment in memory of George and Emma J. Torrison makes these awards possible, with additional support from the Frederick W. Williams Scholarship Endowment. Both endowments are managed by the Foundation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The program was established in the American Lutheran Church, a predecessor of the ELCA. The program is managed by the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities but is not restricted to the graduates of ELCA colleges and universities. The Torrison program is open annually to any member of the ELCA admitted to an accredited medical college.
Students awarded $5,000 Torrison Medical Scholarships for 2021-22 are: Samantha Engrav, from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., who will attend the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Rochester, Minn.; Glenn Seela, from Concordia, who will attend the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis; Yanick Tade, from Concordia, who will attend the Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Neb.; Danielle Karch, from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, who will attend the Medical College of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa; and Austin Thompson, from Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, who will attend the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.
"Lutherans entering medical school are nominated annually to apply for a Torrison Medical Scholarship by ELCA colleges and universities and by campus ministries in the ELCA's Lutheran Campus Ministry Network," said Mark Wilhelm, program director for the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities. "This competitive scholarship program has supported over 200 first-year medical students who are members of this church since 1988."
The application process for the Torrison Scholarship Program begins in the fall. The window for applications opens in November, with applications due no later than the end of the following July. Award announcements are typically made by Sept. 1.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,700 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
