Desert View Hospital awards $10,000 in scholarships to local learners

Desert View Hospital announced the recipients of its 2026 Scholarship Program earlier this year, which awarded $10,000 to 10 locals, composed of recent high school graduates and adult learners.

“Our scholarship recipients represent the future of our community,” Desert View Hospital Chief Executive Officer Susan Davila said in a statement. “Their dedication to education, perseverance in pursuing their goals, and commitment to making a difference in the lives of others are truly inspiring. We are honored to invest in these students and adult learners and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make in healthcare, social services, and many other professions.”

The Pahrump Valley Times spoke with some of the recipients to learn more about their studies, reactions to winning the scholarship and plans after higher education.

Benjamin De Santiago

De Santiago graduated from Pahrump Valley High School earlier this year and is now studying psychology at Concordia University Irvine.

“To win the scholarship was amazing,” De Santiago told the Pahrump Valley Times. “I didn’t expect to win it, but this extra help, the extra scholarship money does help a lot with my studies here.”

After finishing college, De Santiago said he plans on returning to Pahrump and wants to teach psychology. De Santiago also hopes to open his own practice while teaching.

Emalee York Bolling

Bolling is a recent Pahrump Valley High School graduate who also attended Great Basin College, earning an Associate of Science degree. The Pahrump native is now pursuing food science at Washington State University.

“I was previously at Great Basin, which was a lot more affordable, but I also had outgrown their services,” Bolling explained. “They had helped me as much as they could on my journey, so I had to take this next step, which came with the bigger price tag, and the scholarship helped me be able to reach that goal.”

Bolling said she’s not sure if she’ll return to Pahrump after college but added that if research facilities where she can work become a possibility in the area, it’d be on her radar.

Timothy Stutzman

Stutzman is another class of 2026 Pahrump Valley High School graduate. Stutzman is studying orthodontics at Kent State University.

“It was exciting, and I was surprised,” Stutzman said. “It helped me out a lot because Kent State’s out of state, so I have to pay out-of-state tuition.”

Rural healthcare is the field where Stutzman wants to work after higher education, hoping to provide orthodontic access in a small town.

KayLee Freitas

Freitas is a Pahrump Valley High School and Great Basin College alumna. Freitas is currently attending Touro University Nevada for physician assistant studies.

“To receive that kind of support from the hospital that has taken care of my own family members, my own loved ones, and to know that they’re supporting their community, that really was touching to know that they’re backing me up on my dreams to achieve my goals,” Freitas elaborated.

Freitas said she intends on returning to Pahrump after school and wants to give back to the community.

Michael Quattrocchi

Quattrocchi is finishing up his last semester at Great Basin College and will be transferring to Liberty University in pursuit of a master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

“It’s helpful. It’s expensive going to school,” Quattrocchi explained. “It kind of takes the weight off having to worry about the cost of books and stuff like that. It was meaningful and it was just nice to be selected.”

Once finishing the master’s degree, Quattrocchi intends on becoming dual licensed as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor. Quattrocchi plans on staying in Pahrump.

Other recipients included Aydon Veloz, studying kinesiology at the University of Nevada, Reno; Leonel Gallegos Farias, studying radiologic technology at Great Basin College; Brandon Comstock, studying social work at Great Basin College; Stephanie Jimenez Montoya, studying nursing at Great Basin College; and Briara McKeough Marquez, studying social work at Great Basin College.

Scholarship applications for next year will open in March 2027. Desert View Hospital encourages eligible high school seniors, college students and adults to apply. For more information about the program, visit desertviewhospital.com/scholarship-application.

Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com