Peru State College is excited to announce that they have accepted nine students into the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP). The RHOP Program is offered to students who come from a rural background and have a strong desire to pursue a career in the field of healthcare.
RHOP is a cooperative program between Peru State and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). The program’s purpose is to recruit and educate students from rural communities who plan to return to rural areas to practice. Students accepted into the highly selective program will receive a full tuition waiver from Peru State. Those who meet all RHOP program requirements and complete their pre-professional curriculum will be accepted to the UNMC to continue their studies.
“Peru State College is committed to preparing the rural health workforce in Nebraska,” said Dr. Paul Hinrichs, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. “With programs like the RHOP guaranteed admission pathway programs for rural residents, Peru State is playing a vital role in developing healthcare providers who will improve access to quality healthcare in rural communities throughout the state.”
Dr. Richard Clopton, the RHOP Coordinator, shared the following statement: “I conducted interviews with all of these candidates in collaboration with our partner programs at UNMC. I can assure you that this group of students is highly talented, committed, and capable – as much as any in the nation. They represent the future of healthcare in Nebraska, and the future looks bright.”
Peru State has been allocated seats in the following programs at UNMC: three seats in the Pharmacy program, four in Nursing, three in Physician Assistant, three in Medical Laboratory Science, two in Occupational Therapy, two in Physical Therapy, two in Radiography, two in Dental Hygiene, and two in Dentistry.
The 2024 RHOP Program recipients include:
• Dax Powell of Hemingford (Hemingford High School) — Physical Therapy
• Kaden Blake of Tryon (McPherson High School) – Physician Assistant
• Ava Bolli of Beatrice (Beatrice High School) — Nursing
• Leila Frederick of Falls City (Sacred Heart High School) — Nursing
• Kamryn Jaeger of Columbus (Columbus Senior High School) — Nursing
• Abigail Mathis of West Holt (West Holt High School) — Nursing
• Hailey Matthews of North Platte (North Platte High School) – Nursing
• Kellen Shepard of Hastings (Hastings High School) – Dental
• Chisum Wilson of Wahoo (Bishop Neumann High School) – Dental
The RHOP program at Peru State College began in 2012. Wayne State College and Chadron State College also have cooperative programs with UNMC in RHOP. Peru State, Wayne State, and Chadron State are all part of the Nebraska State College System.
“The Nebraska State College System and the UNMC health professions pathway program have pledged to attract, train, and produce healthcare professionals who are dedicated to serving in rural areas of Nebraska,” said Hinrichs. “Our goal is to develop leaders who will provide healthcare services to the communities in need.”
For more information, visit www.peru.edu/rhop call 402-872-2237, or email, RClopton@peru.edu.
Nestled in the hills of historic southeast Nebraska, Peru State College offers a mix of innovative online and traditional classroom undergraduate and graduate programs, including online graduate degrees in education and organizational management.
Established in 1867 as Nebraska’s first college, Peru State has transformed over the past century and a half into a state-of-the-art institution offering diverse, multifaceted educational programs annually to nearly 1,500 students.