John Dodge, a December graduate of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Abilene, is the recipient of the 2016 Texas Rural Health Association (TRHA) Rural Health Student Award. He received the award March 29 at the TRHA Conference this in Austin.

According to the TRHA website, the organization’s Rural Health Student Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant effort to improve rural health care in Texas through their studies and activities during their academic career. Students may be nominated if they fit these award criteria, and nominees must be working toward a career that emphasizes rural health care and be actively engaged in coursework, research or activities that are improving the overall health of rural populations.

Dodge is a member of the inaugural class accepted into the TTUHSC Master of Public Health program in Abilene, which started in August 2015. Prior to completing his MPH, Dodge graduated from Hardin-Simmons University with a degree in biology and a minor in mathematics.