SHP Scholarship Recipients

Rutgers School of Health Professions is committed to ensuring that all students can pursue their ambitions and dreams. Although SHP offers competitive tuition prices and a wide range of financial assistance, some students still need to cover gaps when paying for their education. Scholarship support lets students focus on what will move them toward future success.

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Scholarship Spotlight:
Honoring a Legacy of Compassion

The Judith Yannariello, Ph.D. Endowed Scholarship at Rutgers School of Health Professions honors the remarkable legacy of a dedicated researcher, mentor, and aspiring physician assistant whose resilience and compassion left a profound impact on her classmates and patients alike.

See This Year’s Scholarship Spotlight

2024 Scholarship Reception

2024–2025 Scholarship Awardees

Congratulations 2024–2025 Scholarship Awardees

Catherine & Kenneth T. Gill Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Nagham Al Darwish
Jake Mariani
Sharodia Roy

Champions Endowed Scholarship
Elizabeth Atkinson

Clinical & Preventive Nutrition Science Departmental Scholarship
Jennifer Chalhoub
Sarah Fernandez

Dr. Laura Matarese DCN Scholarship
Kay Vavrina

Dr. Joseph A. Schwenkler Scholarship
Elijah Jowell Caparoso

Estate of Edith Richards Endowed Scholarship
MaeKenzi Dixon

Judith Yannariello, Ph.D. Endowed Scholarship
Debbi Shin

Kirsch Family Physical Therapy Leadership Scholarship
Brianna Lally

Rehabilitation & Movement Sciences Department Scholarship
Cassondra Raia

Physician Assistant Studies and Practice Department Scholarship
Nichole Geist

PA Service Learning Endowed Scholarship
Sarah Elsakary

SHP Endowed Student Scholarship
Michelle Brenseke
Samantha Calderon
MaeKenzi Dixon
Julia Fatum
Ivonne Gualpa
Olivia Kapustka
Adam Kosiba
Saren Nonoyama
Naima Watson

SHP Student Scholarship Fund
Jennifer Cruz
Brandon Dalambert
Obinna Onyedum

ASAHP Scholarship of Excellence
Manisha Hyndavi

Stanley S. Bergen Endowed Scholarship
Ismail Imam
Megan Gasnick

W. Paul Stillman Endowed Scholarship Trust Fund
Laïlatou Bambara
Kayla Clarke
Faryal Faruqu
Kristina Rivera
Kayla Lee
Ayana Martin
Beverly Obonna
Asamin Travis

Wells Fargo Bank Endowed Scholarships for Allied Health Professionals
Amanda Coyne

2023–2024 Scholarship Awardees

Congratulations 2023–2024 Scholarship Awardees

Catherine & Kenneth T. Gill Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Nagham Al Darwish
Jake Mariani
Vidhi Patel

Champions Endowed Scholarship
Elijah Jowell Caparoso

Clinical & Preventive Nutrition Science Departmental Scholarship
Gloria Verdino

Dr. Laura Matarese DCN Scholarship
Lyssa Lamport

Dr. Joseph A. Schwenkler Scholarship
Lisa Benjamin

Estate of Edith Richards Endowed Scholarship
Madeline Gerdes

John G. Collins Endowed Scholarship
Oluchukwu Ibe

Judith Yannariello, Ph.D. Endowed Scholarship
Noah Reyes

Kirsch Family Physical Therapy Leadership Scholarship
Maekenzi Dixon

Rehabilitation & Movement Sciences Department Scholarship
Oonagh Breen
Melissa Leyman

Office of the Dean’s SHP Scholarship
Elizabeth Atkinson

SHP Endowed Student Scholarship
Sarah Ahawo
Akua Atweaban
Marian Awadalla
Fatoumata Bah
Sasha Feinstein
Madison Palmer
Xiomara Vargas Espiritu
Amber Williams
Sanayah Williams

SHP Student Scholarship Fund
Le’Asha DeBerry
Justice Mpesum
Mira Ryu

SHP Alumni Association Military/Veterans Appreciation Scholarship
Euikyeom Jeong

Stanley S. Bergen Endowed Scholarship
Joshua Suter

Student Assistance Endowment Scholarship
Joshua Suter

W. Paul Stillman Endowed Scholarship Trust Fund
Corrine Calvanico
Marianny Collado
Embaby Asmaa
Yalmin Encarnacion
Melissa Quintana Blanco
Devan Wilson
Melanie Wright

Wells Fargo Bank Endowed Scholarships for Allied Health Professionals
Madeline Gerdes

Meet Some of Our Extraordinary 2023 Scholarship Recipients

Lyssa Lamport
Doctor of Clinical Nutrition

Sasha Feinstein
M.S. in Clinical Nutrition

Madeline Gerdes #1

Madeline Gerdes
M.S. in Clinical Nutrition

Justice Mpesum #1

Justice Mpesum
M.S. in Diagnostic Cytopathology

Xiomara Vargas
B.S. in Health Information Managemnent

Sanayah Williams
B.S. in Health Information Managemnent

Amber Williams
B.S. in Health Information Management

Fatoumata Bah
B.S. in Health Information Management

Madeline Gerdes

Oluchukwu Ibe
M.S. in Healthcare Management

Justice Mpesum

Marian Awadalla
B.S. in Cardiovascular Sonography

Sarah Ahawo
B.S. in Cardiovascular Sonography

Akua Atweaban
B.S in Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Corrine Calvanico

Corrine Calvanico
Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Gloria Verdino

Gloria Verdino, MS, RD, CDN

Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition

Mealnie Wright

Melanie Wright
Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Melissa Quintana Blanco

Melissa Quintana Blanco
Doctor of Physical Therapy

MaeKenzi Dixon

MaeKenzi Dixon
Doctor of Physical Therapy

Oonagh Breen

Oonagh Breen
Doctor of Physical Therapy

2022–2023 Scholarship Awardees

Congratulations 2022–2023 Scholarship Awardees

Alma and Richard Merians Scholarship
MaeKenzi Dixon
Ifeanyi Anaemejah

Argos Scholarship Fund
Eva Frimpong
John Ogando

Aventis Endowed Scholarship Fund
Rachel Sarracco

Catherine & Kenneth T. Gill Memorial Endowed Scholarship
Wooyoon Eunice Chung
Eileen Milicia
Katherine Romero

Champions Endowed Scholarship
Oonagh Breen

Estate of Edith Richards Endowed Scholarship
Rachel Sarracco

Office of the Dean’s SHP Scholarship
Fatoumata Bah

Dr. Joseph A. Schwenkler Scholarship Fund for PA Students
Allison Davanzo
Rushi Mehta

SHP Alumni Association Military/Veteran Appreciation Scholarship
Brianna Lally

SHP Endowed Student Scholarship
Lukmanlat Balogun
Maryam Eltomy
Jordan Faith
Amanda Gialanella
Emmaleigh Hauck
Jenny Lu
Melanie Miranda

SHP Student Scholarship Fund
Folasade Adenodi
Jillian Cullen
Vera Schroeder

Stanley S. Bergen Endowed Scholarship
Juan Hernandez

Student Assistance Endowment Scholarship
Juan Hernandez

W. Paul Stillman Endowed Scholarship Trust fund Scholarship
Mishel Akbar
Alexis Drew
Daniel Flores Castaneda
Ava Mancini
Julia Melao
Skylar Tynan
Amanda Whitlock

Wells Fargo Bank Endowed Scholarships for Allied Health Professionals
Rachel Sarracco

Judith Yannariello, Ph.D Endowed Scholarship
Elise Miller

Clinical Laboratory Sciences Departmental Scholarship
Negussie Kaba

Clinical & Preventive Nutritional Sciences Departmental Scholarship Awardee(s)
Lea Steiner

Physician Assistant Studies & Practice Departmental Scholarships
Xenophon Speros

Department of Rehab & Movement Sciences-Departmental Scholarships
Haley Coursen

Dr. Laura Matarese Doctoral Scholarship
Melissa Wallinga

Meet Some of Our Extraordinary 2022 Scholarship Recipients
Read the stories of some of our scholarship recipients below.

Meet Some of Our Extraordinary 2024 Scholarship Recipients

MaeKenzi Dixon

I am honored to be chosen as a recipient of the Estate of Edith Richards Endowed Scholarship, and SHP Endowed Student Scholarship. These scholarships help to relieve the financial burden that is otherwise not offset by federal aid, which is not typically given to graduate students. This allows me to focus on my studies and work on becoming the best clinician I can to provide the highest level of care for my future patients.

After completing my first clinical rotation, I have developed a love for the acute care setting. However, I am thoroughly enjoying my current time seeing patients in the outpatient setting. I will be traveling to Arizona in November of this year to live on Navajo Nation for 3 months and provide care to the Native American population. I can’t wait to see what the rest of my time in this program will entail, and am open to having more life changing experiences.

These scholarships are paramount in helping me achieve my goals to help my community, and those like it. I am thoroughly enjoying my time in this program and will forever be grateful for this incredible opportunity that I do not take for granted.

Debbi Shin
I cannot express how grateful I am to be the recipient of the Judith Yannariello PhD Endowed Scholarship. I remember reading her story as a first-year student and how thankful I was to attend the Rutgers PA program, which allowed me to gain an admirable role model such as her.

Dr. Judith Yannariello inspires me in so many ways. I chose the PA profession after learning about the tremendous amount of teamwork required in healthcare. Through her example, I was reminded to continually serve as a listener, supporter, and friend in both academic and professional settings. I will always carry with me the desire to help my peers, from serving on committees in the Rutgers PA program and acting as a helping hand to my classmates in their times of need. In the clinical setting, I will uphold the utmost compassion, empathy, and kindness towards every patient I encounter.

This scholarship brings me closer to my goal of serving underserved patient populations. I aspire to contribute to healthcare settings as a culturally sensitive, compassionate, and detail-oriented PA. I hope to provide these communities with familiarity and comfort, as I have witnessed how financial struggles can impact the lives of patients and their families. After gaining experience in the clinical setting as a PA, I plan to eventually become a PA educator and provide future PAs with support and guidance, just as I received through the Rutgers PA program, the scholarship committee, and you.

Elijah Jowell Caparoso

I wanted to express my gratitude to Dr. Joseph, his family, and the Rutgers PA faculty for giving me the opportunity to receive this award. Everyday, on my way to class, I see the picture of Dr. Joe on the wall and see how much he was loved by everyone. It made me extremely happy to find out that I was the lucky recipient of his scholarship. I hope to make him and our PA faculty proud!

This scholarship helps to lighten some of the financial burden my family and I had moving here to the east coast. Coming from the west coast was a tremendous struggle and my family and I were able to make it through one year of living in NJ and progressing through the program. I don’t currently work and my wife is the sole provider of the family despite the fact that she is holding the household down, taking care of our son’s needs, and applying to medical school. Receiving this scholarship allows me to lessen the amount of loans I need to take out for this school year so that we have an easier time tackling our financial debt in the future.

Dr. Joe’s legacy inspires me because he advocated for interprofessional education. Coming from an emergency setting background in my previous jobs, I found this to be the key in healthcare teams succeeding in high stress, high intensity situations. Teamwork amongst healthcare providers, nurses, techs, pharmacy, and management allowed the Emergency Department (ED) to withstand the patient volume through the ED. Interprofessional education allows our future healthcare providers to truly understand what it means to work in a team-based setting so that we can provide the best possible care for our patients.

My career goals lead me back to my roots working in the emergency setting. I aspire to be a trauma PA and would love the opportunity to serve this specific patient population. In my previous job, the trauma service were seen as leaders and a highly efficient team that was able to work their way through organized chaos in order to save patients’ lives.

Robert Evers, Weill Cornell Medicine, NYC

Faryal Faruqu

I am deeply honored to receive the W. Paul Still-man Endowed Scholarship at Rutgers University. This scholarship represents more than just financial support—it is a beacon of hope that fuels my aspirations. I am committed to using this opportunity to make meaningful strides in lupus research, advance the field of autoimmune diseases, and empower survivors of domestic violence.

I extend my deepest gratitude to Rutgers University and the W. Paul Still-man Endowed Scholarship Fund for selecting me among thousands of deserving candidates. With this support, I am ready to embrace the next chapter of my journey as a scholar, healer, and advocate for change, with a steadfast dedication to positively impacting the lives of others.

Being chosen for this scholarship not only motivates me to strive for academic excellence but also affirms my commitment to making a meaningful impact in my field. I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity and the confidence you have shown in me. Your support will go a long way in helping me achieve my dreams.

Thank you again for this invaluable assistance. I will do my utmost to honor the trust you have placed in me

Brandon Dalambert

I would like to express my sincere thanks for the SHP Student Scholarship Fund. My family greatly appreciates this scholarship, as it will help me pursue my dreams of attending Rutgers University Newark as a second-year graduate student in their Physical Therapy Doctoral program. I am very happy and appreciative to learn that I was selected as a recipient of your scholarship.

In my second year of graduate school, I will pursue my doctorate in Physical Therapy. Additionally, I plan to establish my own clinic one day upon graduating from Rutgers University Newark. Thanks to you, I am one step closer to that goal.

You have lightened my financial burden by awarding me the SHP Student Scholarship Fund, allowing me to focus more on the important aspects of school and learning. Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community. One day, I will be able to help students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.

Cassondra (Cassie) Raia

As a recent recipient of the Rutgers University School of Health Professions Scholarship, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for helping alleviate the financial burden of my college education. I was thrilled to learn of my selection for this honor, and I am deeply appreciative of your support.

I am a second-year graduate student pursuing my master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). I selected Rutgers University, Newark for their stellar statistics and knowledgeable faculty. Currently I am completing my externship at the Rutgers Day School where I treat clients who are diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and have experienced emotional trauma. This experience has already better equipped me to work with the population of neurodivergent individuals who require speech services.

While I aspire to be a pediatric feeding SLP, I stay open to new experiences in settings such as schools, hospitals, or skilled nursing facilities as I shape my future. I am confident with the tools that Rutgers University have provided and know that what lies ahead holds incredible potential. The skills that I have polished in the clinic since September, have motivated me to continue this path and to continue to push boundaries in creating accessible and valuable communication for all individuals. Thanks to you, I am one step closer to that goal!

Ismail Imam
Dear Mr. Lomonaco and School of Health-Related Professions (SHP) at Rutgers University,

I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for selecting me as the recipient of the Stanley Bergen Endowed Scholarship for the 2024 academic year. Receiving this award is a great honor and has encouraged me to be more resolute and motivated to pursue my academic work at the university. I sincerely appreciate the generosity of the New Jersey Health Foundation and the efforts of the SHP Scholarship Review Committee in recognizing my potential and commitment to the field.

Thank you once again for this wonderful award.

Laïlatou Bambara

My name is Laïlatou Bambara. I am originally from Burkina Faso (West Africa) and came to the U.S. to further my studies. I hold an A.S. in Biology/Pre-med from Essex County College, a B.A. in Biology from Rutgers University-Newark, and an M.S. in Biology from Montclair State University. I am an incoming Doctoral Student in Health Informatics (D.H.I) with a Track in Pharmacoinformatics.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the W. Paul Stillman Endowed Scholarship Fund Scholarship, the New Jersey Health Foundation Scholarship, and the Rutgers – School of Health Professions Review Committee Members. It is a privilege and a tremendous honor for me to be awarded this prestigious scholarship among many deserving applicants. This scholarship will get me closer to completing my doctoral degree so that I can continue to positively impact millions of girls and women worldwide to further their education.

Jake Mariani

I would like to thank the selection committee for awarding me with the Catherine & Kenneth T. Gill Memorial Scholarship. It is a great honor to be selected for this scholarship. This scholarship will relieve some of the financial burden of school and permit me more time to focus on my studies. This scholarship is a particular honor because it is named after Dr. Gill’s family. Dr. Gill is a research scientist and scholar that I admire very much. My career goal is to utilize this PhD to contribute research to the field of Psychiatric Rehabilitation. I am specifically interested in mental health policy and public administration, and I hope to improve city, state, and federal service support and provision.

Jake Mariani was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. He attended Temple University for his Bachelor’s degree. He chose this career path due to having family members with serious mental illness. He chose Rutgers University because of its specialization in psychiatric rehabilitation. His time at Rutgers has been very impactful. He has learned more about the fundamentals and practicality of conducting research by having the opportunity to work with several professors on research projects. He has also had the opportunity to develop his own research ideas and interests through coursework, which has allowed him to develop as a potential research scientist.

Julia Fatum

Scholarships make a world of difference to students and I am extremely grateful to have received one because it has certainly made a difference to mine. I want to say thank you for offering this scholarship and for choosing me as the recipient. In accepting this scholarship, I promise to keep working to achieve my goals and to pay it forward whenever and however I can.

This scholarship has helped me tremendously in being able to focus on my studies for the semester. I have been able to worry less about finding a feasible part time job and spend more time understanding the course material to help me become an excellent PA. I am extremely grateful and honored to have received a scholarship, as financial aid is very limited for graduate students.

Becoming a Physician Assistant is something that I have wanted for a long time and a year ago, I did not know that was going to be possible. The past year has been extremely challenging, but being able to attend PA school has given me a lot be thankful for. As a PA, I want to work in an underserved community, providing support to those who need it the most. I want to be able to make positive changes in the lives of all of my patients wherever possible and this scholarship has given me even more of an opportunity to do so. It has provided me with some financial relief to focus on my path to becoming a caring, compassionate PA.

Sarah Elsakary

I am writing to express my gratitude for being selected as the recipient of the service-learning scholarship. It is an honor to receive this financial support, and I am appreciative of the opportunity it will provide me with this summer working with underserved populations.

This scholarship alleviates financial burdens associated with the service project and signifies my commitment to service. With this support, I am excited to engage with a non-profit organization in Costa Rica that serves refugee populations and contributes to improving global health.

Beyond the financial assistance, I am grateful for the trust and confidence that the Physician Assistant program has placed in me. I look forward to representing the Rutgers PA program throughout my service-learning experience. Once again, thank you for this incredible opportunity.

Sarah Fernández

To give you a deeper knowledge about me, my full name is Sarah Elizabeth Fernández Olivo. I am 24 years old, born and raised in the Dominican Republic in a family of five. I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) in Santiago De Los Caballeros in 2023.

Growing into young adulthood I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in Nutrition and Dietetics. My ultimate goal and dream has always been to educate people on the importance nutrition has throughout the course of life, as it can either “break you or make you” as we like to say, colloquially. We are made up of cells with genetic material and food can positively or negatively impact the way your genes are expressed, which will determine health and disease. For me this career has become part of my identity, as I am deeply committed to educating and helping people to improve their health and well-being through their eating habits and/or patterns.

I chose Rutgers University because I felt like this was the perfect program for me. The unique curriculum checked all the boxes and expectations I had when I first started doing research for Clinical Nutrition Master’s degrees. I prayed I could find the program that fit the best with me, and I did. Looking back at last year when I started reading about this program on the Rutgers website, I remember getting the feeling of “this is the one”. I talked to my parents and immediately set myself to compiling all the documents needed for my admissions process.

I started this Fall and despite the fact that this semester will be done online, my time here at Rutgers has already made me fall more in love with my chosen career. This past month has allowed me to gain deeper understanding on all of the topics and modules we have covered. Everyone has treated me with such warmth, from the admissions team to the professors, that I have not felt alone in this new chapter of my life. The professors are amazing at making one feel part of the Rutgers family. I could not be more proud and happy to belong to the Rutgers community.

As an international student, I can proudly say that Rutgers is a place for everyone. It is a place where I have felt the most connected and welcomed, and for that my heart fills with warmth. I am beyond happy I found this program. Rutgers will forever be the place and chosen-family that I hold the closest to my heart.

Ayana Martin

I am writing to convey my heartfelt gratitude for your generous contribution to the W. Paul Stillman Endowed Scholarship Fund. This scholarship has brought tremendous financial relief, allowing me to devote more time to my studies and reducing the stress of juggling work and academics.

Your support is especially important while I continue my studies at Rutgers School of Health Professions. I am extremely impressed by W. Paul Stillman’s legacy, whose dedication to the area of health care continues to affect the lives of students like me. His contributions serve as a reminder of the impact one may have in molding the future of health care, which is consistent with my own goals.

I also want to thank the Rutgers School of Health Professions for the chance to obtain this distinguished award. SHP’s assistance has been invaluable in advancing my studies and bringing me closer to accomplishing my professional objectives.

This scholarship gets me one step closer to reaching my first bachelor’s degree, and I am delighted to use my knowledge for future goals within healthcare setting both clinical and nonclinical. Your generosity has not only alleviated my financial load, but also strengthened my resolve to thrive in my industry.

Thank you again to the W. Paul Stillman Endowed Scholarship Fund and Rutgers SHP for your help. It means more to me than words can explain, and I am excited to use this scholarship in my future endeavors.

Megan Gasnick

I am incredibly honored to have been selected as a recipient of the Stanley S. Bergen Endowed Scholarship. With immense gratitude, I thank the New Jersey Health Foundation, the School of Health Professions Scholarship Committee, and the Clinical Nutrition Master’s program department. This award will significantly support my academic journey by lessening the financial burden. As a full-time student, intern, and part-time employee, I often strive to balance school and work. However, sometimes it feels overwhelming, and I wish I could focus on my academics alone. Being selected for this award grants me this wish, and I am so fortunate to be able to focus on my studies while I finish my program.

As I approach the end of my program, I look forward to becoming a Clinical Dietitian and opening up a food pantry one day to help fight food insecurity. Dr. Bergen’s legacy of advancing education and healthcare inspires me, and I am committed to upholding the values of excellence and service that this scholarship represents.

Saren Nonoyama
My name is Saren Nonoyama, and I am a second-year student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at Rutgers School of Health Professions (SHP). I am writing to express my gratitude for the support that the SHP Endowed Student Scholarship has provided me.

As a future physical therapist (PT), I am committed to providing patient-centered care that empowers individuals and communities to maximize their functional independence. Further, I hope to use my voice to advocate for culturally responsive, equitable services, especially in underserved communities; to be the very representation I sought as I pursued healthcare.

As an Asian transmasculine future healthcare professional, I have faced and continue to face challenges related to my identities, such as microaggressions and lack of representation. Navigating obstacles has provided a stark reminder of the need for a better commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in healthcare.

At SHP, I have pursued leadership and advocacy opportunities to grow as a future clinician and to contribute to the growth of the PT field. Thus far, I have advocated for gender diverse students at SHP by providing an in-service on gender affirming care at my clinical affiliation site, and being a student panelist in the Empowering Inclusivity LGBTQIA+ Health Professions Panel.

At the Community Participatory Physical Therapy Clinic (CPPTC), I have helped to provide pro-bono care to local Newark residents. Further, as the Secretary of Multicultural Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Actions (Multi-I.D.E.A.), which aims to promote awareness of DEI among health professions, I have helped organize and host events to create a safe space for marginalized individuals and celebrate diversity. Lastly, as the Vice President of Prideful Future of Healthcare (PFOH), I develop programming to provide visibility, advocacy, and education regarding LGBTQIA+ healthcare to the SHP community and beyond.

As an SHP student, I am grateful for the opportunities to evolve as a future healthcare professional and contribute to the growth of the healthcare field. With the support of the SHP Endowed Student Scholarship, I will be able to focus on my academics with reduced financial burden, allowing me to save funds for the remainder of my doctoral education. I am excited to continue learning and evolving through academics, professional development, and leadership in the coming years. Thank you very much for your generosity and support.