The John H. Drabing, D.O., Osteopathic
Medical Student Scholarship Program
Ensuring the future of Osteopathic Medicine in Colorado begins by supporting today’s Osteopathic medical students. The Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation is proud to award up to five $10,000 tuition scholarships to students entering their third year at an AOA accredited College of Osteopathic Medicine. These scholarships are renewed automatically for $10,000 each for the fourth year as long as the students are in good standing with their College of Osteopathic Medicine. In addition, the Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship has been established and is awarded to one applicant annually.
John H. Drabing, D.O., FAOAO, FACOS (1935-2025)
Dr. Drabing graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 1957 and earned his D.O. degree from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1961. He completed a rotating internship at the Oklahoma Osteopathic Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma and then moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado where he was in family practice for two years. With the opening of Eisenhower Osteopathic Hospital in Colorado Springs, he moved there in 1964 to obtain hospital privileges. In 1966 after two additional years in family practice he entered into an orthopedic residency at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Upon completion of his residency in 1969, he returned to Colorado Springs establishing a department of orthopedic surgery at Eisenhower Osteopathic Hospital. Dr. Drabing served two terms as chief of staff and helped oversee the hospital as it tripled in size during the 1970s. He also served on the Colorado Society of Osteopathic Medicine Board of Directors, becoming its president in 1976-1977 and represented Colorado at the AOA House of Delegates from 1975 to 1987.
Dr. Drabing was a member of the KCOM Board of Trustees form 1982 to 1991, serving as vice president for one year and president in 1990-1991. He also received the college’s Alumni of the Year Award in 2001. He served on the AOAO Board for nine years and was president in 1986-1987. In recognition of his contributions to the organization, he received the AOAO’s Knotty Cane Award in both 1991 and 1998. He also served on the ACOS board for three years from 1989 to 1992.
From 1998 through 2005, he represented the Colorado Society of Osteopathic Medicine as a board member of the Colorado Physicians Health Program, which aids impaired health professionals, doctors, nurses and medical students. He also served as a local host to two national meetings of the North American Spine Society in the 1990s.
Dr. Drabing was a founding board member of the El Paso County Medical Society Physicians Foundation as well as a founding board member of the Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation in 1984, serving as president in 1989-1990. He remained an active member of the Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation until his passing in April 2025. He was a stalwart supporter of Osteopathic Medicine and the Foundation through “thick and thin.”
Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship
The Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship is a $1,000.00 scholarship that is awarded annually to one of the tuition scholarship applicants. It is to be used for fees, books, supplies and equipment. This scholarship is named after the late Walter S. Strode, D.O., who was a graduate of Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. This annual scholarship is made possible by the generosity of the Strode family in partnership with our Foundation.
FY 2025-2026 General Application Information
- Up to five tuition scholarships are available to students entering their third year at an AOA accredited College of Osteopathic Medicine in the summer of 2026.
- Each scholarship is for $10,000 per year, up to a total of $20,000 for years III and IV of medical school as long as the student remains in good academic standing with their College of Osteopathic Medicine.
- Scholarship tuition funds are credited to the student’s medical school business office account.
- Applications will be reviewed primarily on merit.
- Applicants with the most potential to become good osteopathic physicians based on their demonstration of academic achievement, leadership, motivation and service to their community will be selected.
- The Foundation anticipates that its scholarship recipients, upon completion of their medical education will return to practice in Colorado.
Application Deadline
- Beginning November 3, 2025 the scholarship application material will be available from the Financial Aid Offices at all accredited Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.
- Beginning November 3, 2025 the scholarship application material will be available on the Foundation’s website at www.csof.org; potential applicants may also call the Foundation office at 719-635-9057 or email the office at EDCEO@csof.org to obtain a copy.
- Completed applications may be received by the Foundation no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 23, 2026.
Resources
For comprehensive application information including eligibility, requirements, process and withdrawal policy, please download the “How to Apply” PDF linked below. The official Scholarship Application PDF is also available below.
Scholarship Recipients
2025-2026 Osteopathic Medical Student Scholarship Recipients
Akram Hejazi
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, from Golden, CO
Completed undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and plans to pursue a residency in General Surgery
Yasmeen Sawalha
Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine, from Ft. Collins, CO
Completed undergraduate degree in Biology and plans to pursue a residency in Internal Medicine
Katelyn Tapia
Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine, from Parker, CO
Completed undergraduate degree in Biology and plans to pursue a residency in Emergency Medicine
Alexandria Taylor
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, from Erie, CO
Completed undergraduate degree in Integrative Physiology and plans to pursue a residency in Surgery, Pediatrics or Critical Care
Hannah Weidman
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, from Brighton, CO
Completed an undergraduate degree in Chemical & Biological Engineering and a master’s degree in Biomedical Science and plans to pursue a residency in Internal Medicine/Critical Care
Samantha Kincaid
2025-2026 Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, from Castle Rock, CO
Completed an undergraduate degree in Microbiology and plans to pursue a residency in Neonatology or OBGYN
2024-2025 Osteopathic Medical Student Scholarship Recipients
Kevin Eells
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Riley Hatchell
Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine
Sarah Khammash
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Christian Low
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Rachael Martino
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Emily Muhlenhaupt
2024-2025 Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
2023-2024 Osteopathic Medical Student Scholarship Recipients
Sonia Abraham
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Ginelle Goh
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Ellese Lupori
Western University of Health Sciences Oregon
Laura Matuszewska
Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences
Tori Weingarten
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Holly Lakin
2023-2024 Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Oklahoma State University College of Medicine
2022-2023 Osteopathic Medical Student Scholarship Recipients
Jacob Gerken
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Adrianna Hammack
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Sam Lassiter
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine at Seton Hall Pennsylvania
Troy Puga
Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences
Peter Woolley
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Alexandra Moauro, Ph.D.
2022-2023 Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
2021-2022 Osteopathic Medical Student Scholarship Recipients
Arthur Armijo
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Taylor Keller
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Bailey Kuechenmeister
Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine
Prakhar Singal
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Cameron Taylor
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Jonathan Staheli
2021-2022 Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences
2020-2021 Osteopathic Medical Student Scholarship Recipients
Alex Knippenberg
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Yuri Korobchuk
Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences
Tess Schultz
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Emily Sherwood
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kalyn Brenner
2020-2021 Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
2019-2020 Osteopathic Medical Student Scholarship Recipients
Andrea Chernau
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Daniel Heck
Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
Jolysa Gallegos
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Rachel McLaughlin
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Jeffrey Beach
2019-2020 Walter S. Strode, D.O. Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine