The Michigan Dental Association Foundation welcomed several of the 2010-11 scholarship recipients at a reception April 14 during the MDA Annual Session in Grand Rapids.

Attending the reception were this year’s Mitus Scholarship recipients Jennifer Broers, Brent Medema and Michael Wierenga, and dental hygiene students Staci Carroll and Patricia Walch. Mitus recipient Brent Medema could not attend. Also in attendance was Jerek Petrous, recipient of the Dr. Bill Schumann Scholarship, Steven Davis, recipient of the MDA Insurance & Financial Group Scholarship, and Travis Mattson, recipient of the Nolen Scholarship. Click here to view photos from the reception.

The recipients and their families attended the first session of the MDA House of Delegate meeting, where they heard MDA President Dr. Gary Jeffers speak on the future of dentistry. At the reception, the students met the Foundation board and heard a welcoming address from Foundation President Dr. Mike Jennings and Kathy Mielke RDH, chair of the Foundation Scholarship Committee.

Dr. Alexa Vitek, a former Mitus Scholarship recipient and recipient of the 2011 MDA New Dentist Leadership Award, also addressed the students, telling them to be enthusiastic and to continue the trend of being “go getters” in dentistry.

“Be motivated and continue to do volunteer work, provide service to the community, and be a ‘unified voice’ for dentistry,” Vitek urged. “Do great things, get involved in your profession, go to a meeting, and ask a friend to join you. When we work together we can do great things for the profession of dentistry.”

MDA Insurance & Financial Group sponsored the reception and President Craig Start encouraged the students to look into all the Michigan Dental Association programs and services to support their careers.

Each recipient took the opportunity to thank the Foundation for the scholarship, as well as their family and friends for the support they provided during their academic careers. 

The Michigan Dental Association Foundation has awarded 106 scholarships in 13 years totaling $122,000. Scholarships are awarded to students attending schools in Michigan who are studying dentistry, dental hygiene and dental assisting.