Ahna Novasio has never let limitations stop her from pursuing her goals.
A 2022 Billings Skyview High School graduate, Ahna knew exactly what she wanted out of her college destination—small class sizes, a great learning environment, and a strong pre-medicine program. However, many of the schools that checked all her boxes were private colleges, which are often more costly than public options.
For Ahna, every dollar earned in financial aid mattered.
“I received a lot of money through FAFSA, but I still needed that extra help with financial assistance,” Ahna said. “Not many people realize how financial stress can affect what a person does.”
Motivated to turn her college dreams into reality, Ahna applied for scholarship after scholarship, spending countless hours filling forms and pursuing opportunities to continue her education.
Bauer & Clausen Optometry, seeing Ahna’s drive and determination, awarded her the Bauer & Clausen Optometry 20/20 Health Professions Scholarship. Four years later, Ahna is a senior at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, double majoring in biology and biochemistry with plans to enroll in medical school after taking two gap years upon her graduation.
Ahna said that her experience at Concordia has been crucial in growing her budding health professions career. The generosity of Bauer & Clausen Optometry, she said, helped to remove roadblocks and allow her to focus solely on her schooling.
“I’ve really enjoyed going to school here, and I’m happy that I was able to get that help through scholarships, like from Bauer & Clausen Optometry,” Ahna said. “When you don’t have to worry about having to pay for school, then it’s less stress on all the other aspects in life to worry about. I’m very thankful that I’ve been able to get support through scholarships like this.”
Bauer & Clausen Optometry’s 20/20 Health Professions Scholarship annually awards $2,020 to a graduating senior from Yellowstone County who intends to pursue a career in a health profession. The award assists students like Ahna in paying for college-related expenses, part of Bauer & Clausen Optometry’s commitment to supporting local aspiring healthcare professionals.
Ahna has utilized her time at Concordia to dive headfirst into hands-on projects, such as assisting with research into the inorganic synthesis of molecules as a method to suppress tumor growth. She has balanced her educational workload with heavy involvement in campus activities, being previously involved both in student government and as the student chair of Concordia’s First-Year Orientation program.
Taking two years off after her graduation this spring to prepare for medical school, Ahna has her sights on potentially returning to her home state to make a difference in Montana healthcare.
In addition to applying to other medical schools, Ahna plans to apply to the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) medical education program through the University of Washington, which focuses on training aspiring medical professionals to practice in rural areas of the northwestern U.S. As a Montana resident, Ahna, if accepted, would complete her first 18 months of schooling in her home state at Montana State University.
After being uplifted by those in her community while a high school student, Ahna wants to take the knowledge she’s learned along her journey and do the same, making her own impact for underserved Montana communities.
“I’ve learned a lot about how these small communities work together to uplift each other, and it’s been really interesting to see how many moving parts there are,” Ahna said. ”I’ve loved my time at Concordia, but I also love my home in Montana. I was born and raised in Billings, so I’m interested in exploring ways I could uplift my community back home.”
