Carson Radcliff, a Wilber, Nebraska, native, decided to pursue a health care degree at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) because of his desire to make a difference in rural communities like his own. “As you grow up in a small town, you see that sometimes people have to travel over an hour for health care options,” said Radcliff.
He wants to help change that and make health care more accessible. Radcliff is one of many UNK students who have been empowered to pursue a career providing health care to rural communities with support from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) UNK Health Sciences Scholarship.
The permanently endowed fund supports students who want to pursue a health care career in rural Nebraska. Since 2015, over $209,000 in scholarships have been provided to 108 students from 53 Nebraska towns. “The BCBS scholarships provide financial assistance that allows students to focus on their education and gaining health care experience, rather than working more hours to cover the cost of their education,” said Peg Abels, director of health sciences at UNK.
For Radcliff, the scholarship allows him to set a financial burden aside and focus on what he truly cares about: his physical therapy degree. “Instead of finding time to work, I have been able to find time to join a club, shadow physical therapists, and volunteer at nursing homes,” he said. “It’s really given me time to build my resume and focus on studying.”
Building a resume, making connections, and giving back to the Kearney community is a huge benefit of the scholarship, according to former recipient Ashlynn Sehi. “You get as much out of the scholarship as you put into it,” Sehi said. “We have a great support system that links you with a mentor who gives you advice on classes and volunteer opportunities to take and jobs to look in to.”
Sehi had the opportunity to be one of those mentors her sophomore year, leading meetings and working with freshmen as they found their own health care path at UNK. She said those experiences helped her gain confidence. Now, on her way to physician assistant school in Lincoln, Sehi is excited to see how that confidence can help her give back when she graduates.
“I’ve always been a person who wanted to help others,” Sehi said. “Pursuing a career in health care will allow me to help others when they feel helpless, be part of their support system, and be the person that has answers.”
Both Radcliff and Sehi exemplify how the scholarship supports not just academic success but personal growth and career readiness. Through mentorship, volunteer opportunities, and campus involvement, BCBSNE UNK scholarship recipients are able to take full advantage of their time at school to pursue their goals of giving back to Nebraskans.
Learn more about BCBSNE’s commitment to Nebraska’s students at
NebraskaBlue.com/Community.
