Congratulations to the Winners of the 2020 CIA Medical Scholarship!
2020 marks the fourth year of the CIA Medical Scholarship program. The ten recipients of the 2020 award submitted moving essays about a “heathcare hero” who has touched their lives. We’re proud to support the winners with a financial award for their post-secondary education.
We wish the scholarship recipients all the best in their educational and professional pursuits.
CIA Medical Scholarship 2020 Top Award Winners
In alphabetical order.
Kylie Pyne
Kylie Pyne
University of Idaho | Music
“I am a very driven, and passionate individual. In life, my love is music. I am a multi instrumentalist and have dedicated all of my spare time to learning the ins and outs of creating and playing music.”
On Dr. Singh, who cared for her younger brother Mason, Kylie writes, “I am so thankful and appreciative for the loving kindness that just one person can have on another, as it makes a huge difference. My brother today is a bubbly, goofy, kid and not a day goes by without him smiling. To Dr. Singh, Thank you for being a light in the tunnel for my baby brother.”
Read Kylie’s winning essay here.
Eden Riviera
Eden Riviera
Saint Petersburg College | Early Childhood Development with a Minor in Child Psychology
“With my degree I plan to be a teacher for children in the hospital. I would like to be stationed at infusion centers and help children with schoolwork.”
On Denise, the intake nurse who cared for her, Eden writes, “I not only made an amazing friend through these surgeries at All Children’s but I was also able to know an person who takes someone’s fears and helps. Denise was the first person to see me cry and stay with me. She made me feel okay to not be okay. I will always remember Denise as the woman who helped me when I was in pain. She will never leave my memory.”
Read Eden’s winning essay here.
Connor Smith
Connor Smith
West Virginia University | Supply Chain Management
“It is my grit and my desire to give back to the community that allows me to keep pushing forward during this uncertain and scary time. I want to learn the knowledge that will allow me to be on a team that will help create and manage effective supply chains to help make the world a better place.”
On Robert Smith, his dad who left the business world to become a nurse, Connor writes, “He wanted to become a nurse to help others the way we were helped through my medical challenges. He also wanted to learn everything he could about the field of medicine to help me in future situations.”
Read Connor’s winning essay here.
CIA Medical Scholarship 2020 Award Recipients
In alphabetical order.
Justin Abe
Justin Abe
University of Southern California | Major in Human Biology and Double Minor in Psychology and Health Care Studies
“My dream is to eventually work as a pediatric physician in Hawai’i. This career decision was fueled by my passion for using science to foster the health of others as well as the fulfilling experiences I have had through my shadowing, research, and community service opportunities.”
On the doctor he shadowed, Justin writes, “Despite Dr. Inaba’s international fame (beginning the trend of performing CPR to the beat of the song ‘Staying Alive’), he is also selflessly geared toward investing in the younger generation. Dr. Inaba has been mentoring students for so long, some of his current shadows are the children of doctors that he mentored twenty years ago.”
Paul Bloodworth
Paul Bloodworth
University of Georgia | PhD in Educational Theory and Practice
“I want to perform active research to help attract new teachers and retain the valuable public-school teachers who are currently at risk of leaving the profession. Having the opportunity to go back to school and learn the latest trends in teacher education will allow me to better coach the teachers and administrators in all the districts with whom I work.”
On Dr. Joseph, the obstetrician who cared for his wife, Paul writes, “Dr. Joseph and the nurses at the Women’s Center at University Hospital in Augusta, Georgia have been nothing short of angels to us throughout this entire process. They continue to spread their wings to us.”
Harrison Brown
Harrison Brown
University of Pittsburgh’s Honors College | Pre-Medicine
“Once I become an established physician, I will treat patients with empathy to ensure that they have someone fighting cancer alongside them. In retrospect, despite the hardships, I am grateful for my journey. Interactions with countless medical professionals revealed to me the life-changing capacity of medicine and provided me a preview of what I want in my future.”
On Dr. Friehling and Dr. Carella, the doctors who cared for him during his cancer treatments, he writes, “They developed into great role models of mine because of the hours they spent helping, comforting, and motivating me toward a cancer-free life. I would not be here today without these two doctors, and for that, I am eternally grateful to them.”
Taylor Gill
Taylor Gill
University of Arizona | Master’s in Medical Microbiology and Immunology
“I am currently studying for my Master’s in Medical Microbiology and Immunology while working full time as a Medical Laboratory Technologist in a hospital microbiology lab. I am hoping to earn my Master’s as well as become a Medical Laboratory Scientist at the same time.”
On Alex, the nurse who cared for her mom, Taylor writes, “ICU nurses’ ability to empathize with the family without becoming too emotional is such a talent that I will never forget how much easier our experience was because of him. Alex made it so that our time in the ICU was always focused on my mom, and never about being judged or forced into doing something we weren’t comfortable with regarding her care. He has changed the way I view nurses and the extraordinary tasks they must face every day when they show up for work.”
Michelle Gomez
Michelle Gomez
Marquette University | Major in Digital Media, Double Minor in Advertising and Marketing
“As an international student, I am very interested in creating an environment of engagement and inclusion. Everyone must be respected, no matter their background, personality, or identity. And with the opportunities I’ve been given and lessons learned throughout my life, I want to innovate and use film as a tool to give a voice to people who feel misrepresented.”
On Ken Panger, who worked with Michelle on the dental team of a HELPS International trip to Guatemala, she writes, “Ken made me understand how when we volunteer to go with the medical team we have to give up things, such as our comfortable homes and luxuries. We work hard every day to help people in need, giving of our time, our physical strength, and our talent to do what is needed to help others.”
Toyese Oyeyemi
Toyese Oyeyemi
George Washington University | Masters of Business Administration
“My goal after completing my MBA is to begin towards a Doctor of Public Health degree after which I plan to focus on primary care and population health systems reform at the clinical delivery and broad policy levels.”
On his mentor Dr. Kaufman, Toyese writes, “There is a level of thoughtfulness required to being an effective provider of care that I believe often is sacrificed for the sake of efficiency and time management. Dr. Kaufman has been my reference to the contrary. He taught me an important lesson that I’ve continued to carry with me as a leader: mission drives, vision guides, and both are needed for effective leadership. Relationships are more vital than accomplishments. There is opportunity to use your own position to help others and support the greater good.”
Rebecca Tibois
Rebecca Tibois
Adelphi University | Nursing
“I want to become a nurse who listens to the pain of her patients, a nurse who advocates for their right and treatment and who can potentially save lives. A nurse who doesn’t turn a blind eye or overlooks her patients’ pain or distress. A nurse who treats all patients justly and fairly and becomes and advocate for them if others don’t.”
On the doctor who saved her life, Rebecca writes, “He firmly held my hand and assured me that it was going to be alright and to have faith in him and myself. His words helped a lot. He upheld his code of ethics and treated me with care. He saw I had a problem and became an advocate for me, getting me the help that I needed, when I needed it. Seven years later, and that doctor will forever be an example of the kind of nurse that I want to be.”
Apply for CIA Medical’s Scholarship Today
CIA Medical is committed to supporting students on their educational and life journeys. We love reading the stories of how healthcare workers are continuing to go above and beyond to help their patients and their families, and thank our scholarship applicants for sharing their experiences.
For more information and to apply to the CIA Medical Scholarship, click here.
