Aishwarya Rajesh Krishnan and Reagan Lalande have been selected as the recipients of Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH)’s 2025 Health Professions Scholarships.
The scholarships—a prize of $1,500 per student—were announced by Hospital Board Chair Cyndi Gilmer at the opening of the Board of Director’s meeting this evening, Thursday, June 5.
“For the past 22 years, we have had the pleasure of awarding the Health Professions Scholarship to many accomplished students who are keen to make a difference in healthcare,” said Cyndi Gilmer, Board Chair. “This year, we were delighted to receive applications from students representing a broader range of disciplines and areas of study within the healthcare system. While there were many deserving candidates who applied, and we commend all on their hard work and interest in NHH, the successful recipients of our 2025 scholarships—Aishwarya and Reagan—have both demonstrated a clear commitment to their chosen professions with a desire to return and practice in Northumberland County.”
The presentation continued a tradition started by the volunteer Board in 2003 to support students from west Northumberland who have chosen to pursue a career in the healthcare sector.
In addition to being enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a full-time study program, applicants are evaluated on a combination of criteria, including:
• academic achievements;
• extra-curricular activities;
• a testimonial explaining (in their own words) their career goals; and
• written references.
Details of the 2025 scholarship winners’ achievements were shared as follows at the early evening presentation which served as the first item of business on the Board’s June Board meeting agenda.
Aishwarya Rajesh Krishnan, Cobourg
Aishwarya is currently in her first year of medical school at the University of Toronto after graduating with distinction—top 3%—from Queen’s University’s Bachelor of Health Sciences program.
As a medical student, Aishwarya has demonstrated a desire to build more accessible, sustainable, and equitable pathways within the healthcare system.
An active member of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students’ Health and Environment Adaptive Response Task Force (HEART), Aishwarya has founded global health literacy initiatives, while actively engaging in research spanning Indigenous health, climate advocacy, cardiac health, and healthcare sustainability. She also served as Section Editor for the University of Toronto Medical Journal and is a cofounder of a telemedicine education initiative.
“Throughout my academic journey, I have sought to integrate service, leadership, and scholarship,” said Aishwarya in her Health Professions Scholarship application letter. “These experiences have solidified my commitment to delivering compassionate, evidence-based care within community healthcare settings.
Receiving the NHH Health Professions Scholarship would be a meaningful step in my journey toward serving the people of Northumberland County as a physician and advocate. I would be truly honoured to represent NHH’s values in my future career.”
Aishwarya has also demonstrated a strong interest in volunteerism, specifically in her hometown of Cobourg. Her experiences include serving as a Medical First Responder for St. John Ambulance—of which she is still active—and a student volunteer from 2019-2023 with NHH’s Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP). She described how volunteering in a healthcare setting like NHH has influenced her
future aspirations of becoming a physician, saying, “This experience reinforced my passion for patient-centred care and deepened my admiration for the hospital’s dedication to community wellness.”
In a letter of recommendation, Amy Ludolph—Clinical Supervisor with NHH’s Geriatric Activation Team—praised Aishwarya’s determination to become a physician, saying, “From my early contact with Aishwarya, I was able to see the drive and commitment to achieve her goals of becoming a physician, as she continually sought out more knowledge and experience than the average student. Aishwarya
ensured that she was using her opportunities to gain not only experience, but skills that she would knowingly utilize moving forward.”
Reagan Lalande, Cobourg
Reagan recently earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Kinesiology at Brock University and has been accepted into the Primary Care Paramedic program at Niagara College.
Following the successful completion of her diploma, Reagan aspires to obtain a graduate certificate for Advanced Care Paramedic.
As a future paramedic, Reagan hopes to improve patient quality outcomes through data-driven approaches within Emergency Medical Services (EMS). She would also like to provide public health education and community outreach programs that enhance emergency preparedness and awareness.
“I feel this occupation is vital among healthcare professions,” Reagan said in her Health Professions Scholarship application letter. “This is because of the strong relationship and functioning system paramedics must have with the emergency room and hospital staff to provide the best possible care for patients. As a paramedic, I hope to make contributions to this community through providing advanced clinical skills in a hands-on setting for those needing care.”
Outside of a healthcare environment, Reagan has gained transferable skills through her involvement in softball, acting as an Assistant Coach for Brock University’s incoming softball players. As a softball player herself, Reagan earned the Connie Oliver Award for showing sportsmanship, leadership, and dedication.
Her leadership—on and off the field—was highlighted in a letter of recommendation from Raegan Turner—softball coach with Brock University—who said, “I have had the pleasure of coaching Reagan over the past four years and have witnessed her grow into an exceptional leader and mentor to her teammates.
Whenever an opportunity arose to support the team, Reagan stepped up without hesitation doing everything she could to help put the team in a position to succeed. Reagan possesses many
qualities that I believe will make her an outstanding paramedic.”
Information on the requirements for NHH’s Health Professions Scholarship program will be found under the Careers section of the hospital website at nhh.ca.
Applications are invited at any time, but typically close in February of each year with presentations at the June meeting of the Board.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
