Indian River State College HOSA Chapter Dominates at 2025 Florida State Leadership Conference

April 9, 2025 Indian River State College

Fort Pierce, FL (April 9, 2025) – The Indian River State College HOSA Chapter delivered an exceptional performance at the 2025 Florida HOSA State Leadership Conference held April 3-6 at the Marriott World Center in Orlando, securing an impressive nine gold medals, two bronze medals, a certificate of recognition, and a prestigious scholarship.

HOSA Chapter (L-R) Sara Anderson, Emlyn Anderson, Petricia Lopilato

The State conference, the largest in Florida history, hosted more than 4,000 HOSA members, competitors, advisors, and guests. Among the 12+ postsecondary institutions represented, Indian River State College established itself as a dominant force in healthcare education excellence.

Indian River State College students Sara Anderson and Petricia Lopilato distinguished themselves with multiple achievements. Anderson, a dual-enrolled student from Clark Advanced Learning Center at Indian River State College's Chastain Campus, was awarded the Florida HOSA Alumni & Professional Association $1,500 Scholarship and collected four gold medals in Health Career Photography, Health Literacy Ambassador Project, Healthcare Issues Exam, and HOSA Happenings. She also earned a gold medal and certificate for her service as part of the Courtesy Corps for Florida HOSA State Leadership, plus a bronze medal for completing 100 hours in the Barbara James Community Service Award program.

Lopilato, pursuing a BS Degree in Biology, secured three gold medals in Clinical Laboratory Science, Health Literacy Ambassador Project, and Healthcare Issues Exam. HOSA member Leigh-Ann Spalding, also a Biology major, completed two recognition events prior to the conference, earning a gold medal for her Health Literacy Ambassador Project and a bronze medal for the Barbara James Community Service Award.

"The remarkable achievements of our Indian River State College HOSA chapter at the State Leadership Conference exemplify the excellence we cultivate at Indian River State College,” said Indian River State College President Timothy E. Moore, Ph.D. “These students have represented our college with distinction and demonstrated the exceptional caliber of our health science programs. Their success reflects our commitment to preparing tomorrow's healthcare professionals through hands-on learning opportunities and leadership development. We are immensely proud of their accomplishments and look forward to their continued success as they advance to the international conference."

"The exceptional performance of our Indian River State College HOSA students demonstrates both their technical knowledge and leadership abilities,” said Emlyn Anderson, MHA, HOSA Chapter Faculty Advisor and Healthcare Management Program Director. “Their multiple gold medals against thousands of competitors validate our educational approach and highlight the caliber of healthcare professionals we're developing. We are very proud of how they've represented our institution at this prestigious competition."

As State of Florida HOSA Representatives, the Indian River State College students have been invited to continue their competition journey at the HOSA International Leadership Conference scheduled for June 17-22, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.

For more information about Indian River State College’s HOSA chapter, please contact Emlyn Anderson ateuanders@irsc.edu. For information about Indian River State College, visit irsc.edu.

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About Indian River State College: Indian River State College, serving Florida's Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties, offers high-quality, affordable education to 23,000 students annually through traditional and online courses. The College provides more than 130 programs leading to bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, technical certificates, and applied technology diplomas. For more information, visit irsc.edu.

About HOSA-Future Health Professionals: HOSA-Future Health Professionals is an international student organization that promotes career opportunities in the healthcare industry and enhances the delivery of quality healthcare to all people. HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition exclusively for secondary, postsecondary, adult, and collegiate students enrolled in health science education and biomedical science programs.

Media Contact: Kathleen Walter, Public Information Officer, kwalter1@irsc.edu