08/31/2026
OAPA Announces 2026 Student Scholarship Winners
OAPA Scholarships celebrate the leadership and contributions of Ohio PA students while providing financial support for the next generation of PAs.
We are proud to announce the winners of 2026 OAPA Scholarships!
The Past Presidents Leadership Scholarship, from the OAPA Past Presidents Council, is awarded to one student who possesses the characteristics of what the Council envisions in a future leader within the profession.
The 2026 Past Presidents Leadership Scholarship winner is Madison Hayes, PA-S, Cedarville University.
Madison was born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago and attended the University of Kentucky, where she earned bachelor’s degrees in dietetics and human nutrition with a minor in biology. She currently attends Cedarville University’s PA Program. Prior to PA school, Madison worked as a dermatology scribe/medical assistant, optometry technician, and WIC nutritionist. Her objective career goal is to become both a certified physician assistant and registered dietitian. She seeks to combine her passions for medicine and nutrition to provide holistic, individualized care for her future patients.
"I am honored to be selected for the OAPA Past Presidents Leadership Scholarship. It is a meaningful recognition of my dedication to the PA profession and my community. Winning this scholarship relieves some financial stress while serving as an encouragement to continue striving for excellence both academically and through service to my local community."
The General Scholarships are awarded to select students who submit applications outlining why they chose the PA profession, what their future plans are as a PA, and what interests and activities they have outside the classroom.
The 2026 General Scholarship winners are:
Madison Hayes, PA-S, Cedarville University
A dual winner! Please see bio and quote above.
Caroline (Pearce) Thompson, PA-S, Kettering College
Caroline is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, home of the world’s best crabcakes. She is a newlywed as of July 2026, which makes her a freshly indoctrinated Ohioan. Her future years as a PA will continue to be in Ohio, as she has been astounded by the kindness, aptitude, innovation, and opportunity this great state has to offer! Caroline is interested in inpatient medicine, surgery, and neonatal medicine, but is eagerly awaiting clinical rotations to help determine her path.
"OAPA has done an excellent job of making their PA students feel respected and encouraged. Being a student recipient of the General Scholarship, I can confidently say that OAPA deeply values and pours into the next generation of Ohio PAs. I now have more financial freedom to attend conferences, regional dinners, and be more involved in this organization. I could not be more thankful!"
Zoe Wilks, PA-S, Miami University
Zoe is a clinical year student at Miami University and will graduate in 2027. She is involved in OAPA as a student representative for her class and a member of the Communications Committee. Zoe is originally from Colorado and completed her undergraduate studies in Biomedical Health Sciences at Purdue University. She is interested in a variety of specialities, including orthopedics, emergency medicine, and pediatrics. She has a background working at a rehabilitation facility as a patient care technician. Zoe loves to read and spend time with friends and family.
"I’m extremely thankful to be awarded the OAPA General Scholarship. While the scholarship will help me navigate the additional expenses that come with the clinical year, I’m even more grateful to be recognized by the OAPA organization. OAPA has helped introduce me to highly knowledgeable professionals, who are all generous with tips and advice. It’s given me rich learning experiences and amazing connections. So receiving an award from an organization that has already given me so much feels great."
Our congratulations to Madison, Caroline, and Zoe for their contributions to the Ohio PA student community!
These scholarship winners were honored at the 2026 OAPA Annual Conference on Saturday, August 29.
The next round of OAPA Scholarships will open for application in summer 2027, and all eligible Ohio PA students are encouraged to apply. Find out more and see the list of recent winners on the student scholarship page.
The Diversity Scholarship, awarded by the OAPA Diversity Committee, responds to the need for diversity in healthcare, which is becoming increasingly recognized as an essential component of delivering quality, patient-centered care. Unfortunately, there were no eligible applicants for this year's scholarship, but we encourage applications in the 2027 cycle.