Texas A&M medical students receive $525,000 in scholarships from St. David’s Foundation

St. David’s Foundation has announced scholarships totaling $525,000 for Central Texas students beginning Texas A&M College of Medicine this fall. The scholarships, of $25,000 a year for four years, are being given to five deserving students.

In honor of Earl Grant, M.D., an alumnus of Texas A&M, Class of 1950 and a longtime board member of St. David’s Foundation, an additional grant of $25,000 is being given to one of the recipients to help with living expenses.

“The Texas A&M College of Medicine is very thankful for these generous scholarships. St. David’s Foundation and the Texas A&M College of Medicine share many of the same goals, the most prominent of which is strengthening both health and healthcare for Central Texans through greater educational opportunities in medicine,” said Paul Ogden, M.D., interim senior vice president and chief operating officer of Texas A&M University Health Science Center and interim dean of College of Medicine. “By identifying and educating Texans to take care of Texans, we are reinvesting in our own communities and providing medical care where it is needed most.”

The scholarships were officially announced at a special reception Friday, July 15, 2016 at the Texas A&M College of Medicine Round Rock campus.

Five students who earlier graduated from Central Texas high schools were chosen to receive the scholarships:

• Hailey Driscoll, who graduated from McNeil High School and from UT Austin, and is the Dr. Earl Grant scholar;
• Beverly Chimene, who graduated from Westwood High School before going on to earn her bachelor’s degree from A&M;
• Brendan Mueller, who after graduating from La Grange High School, earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from A&M;
• Amita Raj, who graduated from Westlake High School before earning degrees from Vanderbilt and Tulane, and;
• Imran Zafar, who graduated from Stony Point High School and the University of Texas.

Beverly Chimene, who was accepted as a student to the inaugural Pre-Med Fellows program at Texas A&M (an early acceptance program designed for underrepresented students in health care), said that she wanted to become a physician to make a difference and “help lessen the discrepancies in health care availability and better the lives of people in my community through leadership and dedication in the medical field.”

“This scholarship allows me to focus on my studies and involvement at the College of Medicine,” said Brendan Mueller. “I am so grateful to the St. David’s Foundation, as this scholarship grants me the ability to fulfill my dream of being a health care professional, while being able to give back to those who have helped me to this point in my life and focus on addressing the needs of those around me.”

Through a unique partnership, St. David’s Foundation reinvests proceeds from St. David’s HealthCare to help build healthy communities. St. David’s Foundation signature programs include the largest scholarship program in Texas for aspiring health professionals.

Earl Maxwell, CEO of St. David’s Foundation, stated, “We are dedicated to our mission to improve access to healthcare throughout the Central Texas area that we serve. We believe that providing financial support for those who are pursuing a healthcare career will serve to benefit healthcare access in the future. We are delighted to provide this support for these promising and inspiring medical students.”

About St. David’s Foundation:

St. David’s Foundation believes good health returns great benefits to the community. Through a unique partnership, the Foundation reinvests proceeds from St. David’s HealthCare to help build the healthiest community in the world. The Foundation helps people in every corner of the community through signature programs and collaborations with more than 60 nonprofit partners. In 2016, the Foundation’s goal is to invest up to $75 million to connect thousands of low-income people to a full range of health services. Foundation signature programs include the largest scholarship program in Texas for aspiring health professionals, and the largest mobile dental program in the country. Other focus areas include safety net clinics, agencies serving older adults, mental health initiatives, and support for healthy living initiatives. For more information on St. David’s Foundation visit www.stdavidsfoundation.org.