Each year, the Springfield Ambulance Corps sponsors two $5,000 scholarships to be awarded to graduating seniors from Springfield High School. The scholarships are distributed to the recipients each year for 4 years of higher education.
The Board of Directors of the Springfield Ambulance Corps elected to name the scholarships in honor of Bill Myers and Greg Plank, both long- term Corps members and dedicated pillars of this community. The Springfield Ambulance Corps offers these scholarships to students who strive for the high ideals and excellence that Bill and Greg have displayed throughout their lives.
Qualifications for the scholarship include:
- Acceptance to a college or university with plans to pursue a degree in a medical field.
- Demonstrable involvement and leadership in the community with a clear commitment to teamwork.
- A personal essay detailing their future plans in a field of medicine.
- 2 letters of recommendation from faculty members
- 3.5 GPA at the time of the award
- 3.0 or better GPA throughout college
William Myers Scholarship
William Myers, better known as Bill, led a life of exceptional accomplishment. He was a World War II veteran who served as a medic in the South Pacific. Following the war, he was employed by the Vertol Helicopter Corporation, from which he retired in 1986. Following retirement, Bill joined the Corps, where he was consistently a Top 10 runner and served as a Lieutenant and Vehicle Director. In his tenure with the Corps, he responded to more than 11,000 emergency calls, arguably the most responses made from a volunteer in Pennsylvania. When this scholarship was created, he was perhaps the oldest active Emergency Medical Technician in the Commonwealth. Bill passed away in 2020, and we continue to honor his legacy with this scholarship.
Greg Plank Scholarship
Greg Plank, known by friends as Greg or by former students as Mr. Plank, spent 32 years teaching in the Springfield School District. He started his career at ETR, spent time as a teacher and principal at Sabold, and then went on to teach at Scenic Hills where he worked to create the Eco Center, giving students hands-on immersion in their surrounding environment. Greg also served as a teacher’s union representative.
Outside of SSD, Greg was active with Covenant United Methodist Church, serving with the Wednesday Willing Workers, teaching at the vacation bible school, and helping to build homes for the Appalachia Service Project. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees and the Memorial Garden Coordinator.
Greg ran with the Ambulance Corps for over 40 years, during which time he served as Treasurer and Finance Director, coordinated the annual solicitation, and responded to 9,820 emergency calls. He was inducted onto the Springfield Volunteer Memorial Wall in 2005.
William Myers Scholarship recipients
2022 – Anika Christopher (Penn State University)
2021 – Laura Jones
2020 – Olivia Pace
2019 – Samantha Padilla
2018 – Chloe Borgesi
2017 – Alyssa Decker
2016 – Julia Bingaman (Pennsylvania State University)
2015 – Shannon N. Hagarty (Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College)
2014 – Aiswarya S. Thomas (Franklin and Marshall College)
2013 – Sneha S. Jose (University of the Sciences in Philadelphia)
2012 – Matthew M. Fox (University of the Sciences in Philadelphia)
2011 – Nicole D’Avella (Drexel University)
Greg Plank Scholarship recipients
2022 – Adam Henry (University of Pittsburgh)
2021 – Jane-Frances Ndukwu