The Michigan Dental Association Foundation welcomed this year’s Mitus Scholarship recipients to the MDA House of Delegates, who were then honored at a special reception during the 2009 Michigan Dental Association Annual Session in Lansing on April 23.

This year’s recipients were Nashwa Aziz, Cindy Chapman, Andrew DeHaan, Anthony Fasi, Erin Huber, Elizabeth Noorman, Matthew Ora and Jane Stieber.

At the House of Delegates, recipients and their families heard MDA President Dr. Joanne Dawley speak and were impressed with the outgoing MDA president’s comments on the future of dentistry. The candidates enjoyed seeing the House of Delegates “in action” prior to the reception. 

“These young people are eager and enthusiastic to begin their careers, and perhaps have been inspired to get involved in organized dentistry,” said Dr. Ron Paler, Michigan Dental Foundation president. 

The scholarship recipients then attended a private reception to honor them and meet the Michigan Dental Foundation board of directors, where they heard encouraging words from Paler as well as Kathy Mielke, RDH, chair of the MDF Scholarship Committee, and Josh Lord, director of membership and student affairs for the MDA.

“This year’s recipients are at the top of their respective classes, and the pool of worthy applicants gets larger and larger every year,” Mielke said. “It’s encouraging to see the youth of today who will be the future leaders of tomorrow.  They are ambitious and talented, and the Michigan Dental Foundation is proud to cultivate such professionals.”

The candidates then each had an opportunity to speak and thank their family and friends for support during their academic careers as well as to thank the Michigan Dental Foundation for their scholarships. 

Finally, Paler offered the scholarship winners a piece of advice applicable to life and for dentistry: “Enjoy what you do every day and you’ll never have to ‘work’ a day in your life.” Mielke encouraged the candidates to network with other professionals and become involved in organized dentistry. 

The 2009 Michigan Dental Foundation scholarships were the latest of 84 scholarships awarded over the past 11 years totaling more than $100,000. These scholarships are awarded to students from the state of Michigan who are attending schools in Michigan in dentistry, dental hygiene and dental assisting programs.

The Michigan Dental Foundation is working to keep highly skilled professionals in Michigan -- and if the 2009 scholarship winners are any indication, our profession is in good shape for the future!