WEMSA Foundation announces 2026 EMS Scholarship Winners
The Wisconsin EMS Association (WEMSA) Foundation, a 501c3 community charitable foundation, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026-2027 Academic Year Annual EMS Scholarships! This scholarship program provides a $1,000 scholarship to each recipient to assist with expenses related to their enrollment in an approved EMS training program.
The winners of the 2026-2027 WEMSA Foundation Scholarships are:
Each of these outstanding recipients has demonstrated exceptional commitment to their education and the communities they serve. The winners will be honored at the WEMSA 2027 Conference & Expo held in Green Bay, WI at the Final Keynote & Awards Ceremony on February 5th, 2027.
Siobhan Artz
Educational Program: Northcentral Technical College – Fire Medic & Paramedic Technician Associate Degree Programs
EMS Departments: Town of Wausau Volunteer Fire Department (EMT/FF1); Aspirus Wausau Hospital Emergency Department (EMT)
Siobhan Artz’s motivation to pursue a career in Emergency Medical Services comes from a lifelong desire to serve others and from the examples set by the people closest to her. Growing up, she looked up to her older brother, who joined the Army after high school and now works as a radiologist, and to her mother, a licensed Advanced EMT whose dedication to helping others has shown Siobhan the impact emergency medical professionals can have on individuals and communities during their most vulnerable moments.
Her interest in EMS began in high school with a Phlebotomy Youth Apprenticeship at Northcentral Technical College. Since then, she has worked at Aspirus Wausau Hospital as a phlebotomist and an emergency department EMT, where she also serves as an onboarding ambassador and volunteers in the Heart & Vascular waiting room. Beyond healthcare, Siobhan has held leadership roles as her high school’s Student Council President and National Honor Society chapter President.
Siobhan has completed her EMT and Firefighter 1 training and is now a member of the Town of Wausau Fire Department, where she serves her community directly. She is currently finishing her Advanced EMT coursework on the way to her Fire Medic and Paramedic Technician degrees. Her long-term goal is to become a flight paramedic, and she hopes to mentor and educate future EMS providers throughout central Wisconsin.
Alexia Knutson
Educational Program: University of Wisconsin Hospital EMS Training Center – Paramedic Technician Program
EMS Departments: Dane County District 1 EMS and Richland County EMS
Alexia Knutson's path to EMS started somewhat by accident. After earning a bachelor's degree in Forensic Investigation from UW-Platteville, she set her sights on becoming a Medicolegal Death Investigator, but found every employer asking for more field experience. An old instructor's advice – "become an EMT, they love that type of experience" – led her to get her EMT-B purely as a stepping stone. Instead, she found a career she loves.
As her passion for EMS grew, Alexia went on to complete her AEMT certification and, after finding herself drawn into the finer details of cardiac rhythms during an ACLS/PALS class, decided to apply to the UW Paramedic program with only days left before the deadline. She currently works full-time at a rural hospital while also serving with two rural EMS agencies, District One EMS and Richland County EMS.
Alexia's goal is to secure a full-time paramedic position, ideally continuing to serve rural communities like the ones she works in today. As she puts it, she wants to "help people and try to make their worst day a little less traumatic" – and she's committed to lifelong learning along the way.
Boyd Czaikowski
Educational Program: Mid-State Technical College – Paramedic Technician Program
Boyd Czaikowski originally set out to attend medical school, pursuing a bachelor's degree in biology after high school. It was while completing his EMT training that he discovered a different path – one that let him make a direct, immediate impact on patients during their most vulnerable moments, without the length and cost of the traditional medical school route.
With the encouragement of his EMT instructor, Boyd enrolled in paramedic school to pursue an Associate of Applied Science as a Paramedic Technician. His experience at BioLife Plasma Services, where donor safety is the top priority, reinforced his passion for patient care, and his emergency department clinical rotations have deepened his appreciation for the critical role prehospital providers play in the broader healthcare system.
Boyd credits his growth throughout his EMS education to a commitment to lifelong learning – approaching every class and clinical experience by asking not just what to do, but why. While he hasn't decided exactly where his path will lead beyond paramedic school, he's committed to continued learning, growth, and service to his future patients and community.
Meghan Duwa
Educational Program: Northcentral Technical College – Paramedic Technician Program (enrolling for Spring 2027)
EMS Department: Menominee Tribal Ambulance, Assistant Service Director (AEMT)
Meghan Duwa’s path to EMS began in childhood, when calling 911 for a family member in medical distress left a lasting impression on her. She always knew she wanted a career in healthcare, starting as a CNA in long-term care before becoming a 911 dispatcher in Wisconsin in December 2021, where she went on to serve as the medical call quality assurance manager and a field training officer for new dispatchers.
Wanting to be on scene rather than behind the radio, Meghan completed her EMT-Basic in 2024 and her Advanced EMT in May 2025. She left dispatching to join Menominee Tribal Ambulance full-time as an AEMT in August 2025, and now serves as the service's Assistant Service Director.
Meghan is pursuing her paramedic education not only to expand her own knowledge and skills, but to help her service work toward advancing to paramedic-level licensure once enough of its providers are paramedic-certified – extending a higher level of care to the community Menominee Tribal Ambulance serves.
Brynna Schudy
Educational Program: Mid-State Technical College – Paramedic Technician Program
EMS Department: Mauston Area Ambulance
After graduating high school, Brynna Schudy took the advice of a technical college counselor to “just give it a shot” with an EMT-B course. She quickly fell in love with prehospital medicine, and the profession has shaped her into someone with strong communication skills, adaptability, and compassion that extend far beyond clinical tasks like starting IVs or administering medications.
Hired by Mauston Area Ambulance shortly after earning her EMT-B at just 18 years old, Brynna leaned on the mentorship of fellow providers to grow into a confident, capable provider. After four years in the field and progressing through AEMT training, she enrolled full-time in the Paramedic program at the same technical college where her EMS journey began – balancing full-time work and full-time school along the way.
For Brynna, EMS has never been “just a job” – it’s a calling. She’s proud to be a source of strength and reassurance for her patients, and looks forward to continuing to grow her clinical skills and serve her community at a higher level of care.
Alexis Meyer
Educational Program: Northcentral Technical College – Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Program
EMS Departments: Loyal Unified Fire and Ambulance; Greenwood Area Ambulance Service
Both of Alexis Meyer's parents are first responders – her mother an EMT and her father a firefighter with Loyal Unified Fire and Ambulance – and growing up attending trainings and meetings alongside them sparked her passion for emergency services early on. For the past year, she has served with Loyal Unified Fire and Ambulance as an Emergency Medical Responder alongside her mother, and has since also joined Greenwood Area Ambulance Service.
A particularly intense overnight call, where Alexis assisted with CPR on a patient who ultimately did not survive, taught her an early and important lesson: EMS is demanding, and even when you do everything right, you can't save everyone. Rather than discourage her, the experience strengthened her respect for the profession. Ride-alongs with Marshfield Fire and Rescue further clarified her path, giving her exposure to a higher call volume and hands-on mentorship from firefighters and paramedics willing to explain their decision-making on every call.
Alexis plans to complete Firefighter I and II training this year alongside her EMT coursework, with paramedic school targeted for fall 2027 and critical care paramedic certification to follow in 2028. Her goal is to serve her community while mentoring the next generation of first responders along the way.
The WEMSA Foundation Selection Committee reviewed all applications from students enrolled in approved EMS programs across Wisconsin before coming to a decision. This scholarship is made possible as part of a multi-year commitment from the Schoenleber Foundation, Inc. to provide an annual scholarship of $1,000 to students enrolled in approved EMS programs in Wisconsin, and thanks to the continued partnership with the Lake Mills EMS Legacy Scholarship Program, the WEMSA Foundation is once again able to offer a total of 6 scholarships this year.
The WEMSA Foundation appreciates the Schoenleber Foundation and Lake Mills EMS for their donation and annual commitment to make these scholarships possible. We thank every applicant for submitting to this scholarship program and we hope to provide additional scholarship opportunities in the future. We are actively seeking additional donors to expand the number of scholarships we provide on an annual basis.
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The Wisconsin EMS Association Foundation is a 501c3 charitable organization that seeks to address the needs and provide the means to further the education and training of emergency medical services personnel. The foundation also aims to improve the health and well-being of communities through education and awareness of issues involving emergency medicine. To learn more or support our mission, visit www.wemsafoundation.org or contact foundation@wisconsinems.com.