May 24, 2005

Physician assistant students at Union College receive scholarships, find stable job market

LINCOLN—A first-year Union College physician assistant major will be recognized at the National Physician Assistant Conference during special Memorial Day services in Orlando, Fla. Union student Jim Growney was selected from more than 100 applicants nationwide to receive a $1,250 scholarship from the Veterans Affairs Caucus of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. Mike Huckabee, physician assistant program director, says Growney is “a very deserving candidate.”
        Other physician assistant students from Union also received scholarships this spring. Christopher Darst, Rob Lamberton and Misty Roemeling were awarded $1,000 each by the Nebraska Academy of Physician Assistants. These three students received their scholarships in Kearney, Neb., at the Academy’s state meeting in April.
        A concern of many higher education students is whether they will be able to find work after graduation—especially after investing time and money toward a master’s degree. Students from the Union College Physician Assistant Program who will graduate in August 2005 have fortunately found an active job market. “At least five prospective graduates have already secured positions,” Huckabee said. “This is a higher rate of employment than typically expected for this time of year.”