Oklahoma Public Health Association - Pam Rask Scholarship

PAM RASK SCHOLARSHIP

The Oklahoma Public Health Association (OPHA) is committed to enhancing educational opportunities in public health. Therefore, OPHA awards the Pam Rask Scholarship to honor the late Pam Rask, who served as President of the OPHA from 2016-2018 and dedicated more than 30 years of her life to the field of public health. She was a true public health servant and had a passion for improving the health of her fellow Oklahomans.

This one-time scholarship is awarded to a university undergraduate or graduate student, enrolled full or part-time, in a degree in a public health related field (Master of Public Health, health education and promotion, etc.) from an accredited Oklahoma-based college or university. One student winner will be awarded the $750 scholarship and a one-year student membership in OPHA. Active OPHA membership is required of all applicants as of January 1, 2025.

Spring 2026 Application Period: January 6th – March 31st, 2026

Application information & instructions:

Please view the entirety of this webpage and linked forms for details related to the scholarship and application.
The Spring 2026 applications will be open to graduate students. (Undergraduate and graduate application cycles alternate)
Completed applications with necessary documents must be submitted by March 31st using this linked form .
Incomplete or emailed applications will not be considered.
Questions can be directed to the OPHA Scholarship Committee at admin@okpublichealth.org.
All applications are considered confidential and will become the property of OPHA. Decisions of the scholarship committee are final.
Winners will be notified by email and are typically recognized in OPHA media (monthly newsletter, social media, etc.) and during the awards ceremony at the 2026 OPHA conference.
OPHA Scholarship Committee aims to make decisions within two weeks after the application cycle closes. Two attempts will be made to reach the winner within one month of the decision. If there is no return communication during this time, the scholarship funds and related award may be re-assigned.
If a runner-up is recognized, they will receive a one-year membership to OPHA.

The following is required of all applicants.

Name
Pronouns (optional; this is why we ask)
Mailing address
Phone number
Contact email
College / university
Major / degree
GPA
OPHA membership

The following documents are also required and must be uploaded to your application:

Current Enrollment Status: Documentation that the applicant is currently enrolled and has completed one-half of their coursework and should indicate full or part time status. Please name the document "YourLastName - Enrollment".
Current Transcript & GPA Documentation: Submit current (or most recent) transcript or a recent grade report of a minimum 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the completed course work. Please name the document "YourLastName - Transcript".
Letter of recommendation: From a faculty member. Letter must indicate student is in last half of their academic degree, scholastic aptitude, and how student has demonstrated contributions (or has potential to contribute) to the field of public health. Please name the document "YourLastName - LOR".
Personal Statement: Description of 1) your public health experience and 2) how your personal academic goals will benefit public health in Oklahoma. Please include your OPHA involvement in your essay. 500 word limit. Please include your name in the document and name your file: "YourLastName - Personal Statement".