Two Medical Laboratory Sciences students at Wichita State University are the 2022 recipients of the $280,000 annual endowed scholarship gift from Southcentral Pathology Laboratory.

Dr. Joel Alderson, president of Southcentral Pathology in Wichita – the largest group of surgical pathologists in southcentral Kansas – established this fund in 2021 to provide two full-ride scholarships each year in WSU’s Medical Laboratory Sciences program. Recipients are chosen based on merit and financial need, and each student receives an equal amount of funds. This is the largest scholarship donation to the program.

The two recipients of the scholarship are senior Stephanie Pham and junior Amanda Moler. Pham and Moler were nominated by faculty in the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences. Pham was a recipient of the scholarship in 2021. The students say they are very grateful for the scholarship and the financial support allows them to concentrate on academics.

"The Southcentral Pathology scholarship has allowed me to create a pathway of success for myself. With Dr. Alderson's generous donation, I am able to fully immerse myself in my studies and focus on becoming a competent Medical Laboratory Scientist,” said Pham. “The opportunity to do so excites me, and I look forward to stepping my foot into this wonderful field."

“I am grateful for the opportunity and freedom this scholarship has given me to focus on my education and future career without having the financial stress that comes along with a college education,” said Moler.

Pham and Moler are two of the many Medical Laboratory Sciences students at Wichita State who will benefit from this generous endowed scholarship in the future.

Alderson is passionate about creating incentives and pathways for students interested in medical laboratory sciences. His goal in establishing this scholarship is to attract students to the medical laboratory sciences profession and reward students who have displayed success through academic achievement, character and personal testament.  

The health care industry is experiencing a shortage of medical laboratory scientists in Kansas and across the U.S. This generous scholarship gift from Southcentral Pathology will help recruit students to the Medical Laboratory Sciences program at Wichita State, with the goal of retaining graduates to work in Kansas.

In addition to his presidency at Southcentral Pathology, Alderson is the CLIA lab director for the Molecular Diagnostics Lab at Wichita State. He is also the medical director for Affiliated Medical Services Lab, Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph and Rock Regional Hospital Laboratory.