Rita Osborn, executive director of the Rural Health Association of Utah (RHAU), was honored on May 9, 2024, with the National Rural Health Association’s (NRHA) Outstanding Educator Award. This inspiring video about Rita’s career was shared at the award ceremony.
Osborn, the founder of the Utah Health Scholars Program at Southern Utah University, is dedicated to providing assistance and guidance to students pursuing careers in healthcare, with a particular focus on supporting first-generation college students from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds. The scholars program helps prepare undergraduate students for admission to graduate programs through rotations of academic and non-academic experiences.
“In addition to helping and encouraging students, Rita serves the community as part of the Health Workforce Advisory Council,” said Kendyl Brockman, Health Policy Analyst. “Rural Utah is so fortunate to have Rita. She works tirelessly to ensure that rural and underserved communities in Utah receive accessible, high-quality healthcare.”
NRHA’s Rural Health Awards are given each year to individuals and organizations in the field of rural health who have dedicated their time and talents to improving the health and well-being of others. NRHA is a nonprofit organization working to improve the health and well-being of rural Americans and provide leadership on rural health issues through advocacy, communications, education, and research.
RHAU’s mission is to provide a unified voice to enhance the quality of rural health care through leadership, advocacy, coalition building, education, and to affect policy and legislation. Learn more about RHAU at https://www.rhau.org/.
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