Scholarship
Communities across the United States are becoming more diverse—and the healthcare, STEM, and public health sciences sectors that serve them are still catching up. When the people in the room reflect the communities they serve, trust deepens, innovation expands, and outcomes improve for everyone. The Institute for Health and Social Equity invests in the talent that closes this distance—through scholarships, leadership development, and partnerships across sectors.
Who Should Apply?
Scholarship applicants must come from communities that have historically faced barriers to accessing higher education in nursing and healthcare, including but not limited to African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students, and demonstrate a history of community service.
Scholarships are renewable each year, provided the criteria are met and funds are available.
Select a field you are interested in pursuing below to learn more about the scholarship and eligibility requirements.
The Alana Cueto Nursing Scholarship
About Alana Cueto
Alana Cueto, MSN, RN, CNL, FNYAM, is the Past President of The National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Inc. (NAHN), which serves as the voice of over 270,000 Latino nurses throughout the country. For over two decades, Alana has spent her professional career improving the health and well-being of vulnerable children and families living in distressed, urban neighborhoods through service, scholarship, and education.
Alana combined purpose and passion as Founding President of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) Garden State Chapter where she led the chapter in an effort to cultivate healthier communities for all residents in the state of New Jersey. During her tenure, the Garden State Chapter received national recognition. She is the recipient of numerous awards at the national and local levels which include: nomination as a Public Health Hero by NJBIZ (2017); March of Dimes Nurse of the Year (2017); National Henrietta Villaescusa Community Service Award (2016); NAHN Ambassador Award (2016); Seton Hall University College of Nursing Elizabeth Ann Seton Young Alumni Award (2015); and the Hispanic Leadership of New Jersey Health Advocate Award (2015), which includes Special Recognition from both the United States Congress and the Joint Legislature of New Jersey.
Alana is currently working towards completing her doctorate degree. She is a Nurse Fellow at the New York Academy of Medicine and a candidate for Fellow at the American College of Healthcare Executives. She received her Bachelor of Science from New York University; Masters of Science in Nursing from Seton Hall University; and her certificate as a Fellow Emerging Leader in Public Health from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Who Should Apply?
Awarded to college-bound high school students, recent high school graduates, or current undergraduate students from communities that have faced barriers to opportunity, who have been accepted into an accredited 2- or 4-year nursing program. This scholarship is open nationally to qualified candidates.
Eligibility Requirements
- Show a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above through an official transcript
- Demonstrate a history of community service
- Submit a personal statement (300 words or fewer) describing solutions you would propose to improve a critical issue in healthcare
- Complete an interview with the selection committee
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA or above during college matriculation for continued scholarship funding
The Marion L. Johnson “Hidden Figure” Scholarship for Science, Technology, Engineering & Math
About Marion L. Johnson
Marion Lee Johnson made history as a Boeing engineer whose data contributed to the first successful manned lunar landing on July 20, 1969. After graduating from Talladega College with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, she began her career in 1967 as an Associate Engineer at The Boeing Company in Huntsville, Alabama. Boeing was a leader in building the Apollo Saturn V rocket. Marion Lee Johnson was assigned to the Launch Systems Branch at Boeing and worked on the NASA project for the Marshall Space Flight Center, under the direction of the legendary Wernher von Braun and Arthur Rudolph. While working on the Boeing/NASA team in 1967, Marion Lee Johnson was responsible for preparing data inputs for simulation of vehicle piece impact trajectories.
Marion received significant commendations in March of 1969 for an incredible perfect score of 20 successful missions in 20 attempts. Boeing also recognized Marion for her dedication, technical competence, and high standards of achievements in contributing to America’s successful First Manned Lunar Landing Mission on July 20, 1969, where Neil Armstrong said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Marion’s name is enshrined in the Apollo/Saturn V Roll of Honor. A copy of this historic roll is in the Library of Congress, as well as the Smithsonian Institution, both in Washington, D.C. The historic achievements of Marion Johnson, and others like her were made famous by the award-winning book and film, Hidden Figures, and underscores the benefits of diversity in STEM.
Click here for more information.
Who Should Apply?
Awarded to college-bound high school students, recent high school graduates, or current undergraduate students from communities that have faced barriers to opportunity, who have been accepted into an accredited STEM program. This scholarship is open nationally to qualified candidates.
Eligibility Requirements
- Show a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above through an official transcript
- Demonstrate a history of community service
- Submit a personal statement (300 words or fewer) describing solutions you would propose to improve a critical issue in STEM
- Complete an interview with the selection committee
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA or above during college matriculation for continued scholarship funding
The Gloria Addo-Ayensu Public Health Sciences Scholarship
About Gloria Addo-Ayensu
Gloria Addo-Ayensu, MD, MPH is the Director of Health for Fairfax County. In this capacity, she provides overall leadership and direction for public health programs in the county and serves as the official health advisor to the Fairfax Board of Supervisors, Health Care Advisory Board, and Human Services Council.
Throughout her public health career, Dr. Addo-Ayensu has advanced health equity and community resiliency through partnerships, and successfully leveraged community assets to create innovative, practical, and sustainable community-based solutions to complex public health challenges. She led Fairfax County’s responses to the 2001 anthrax attacks, the H1N1 and COVID-19 pandemics, which has earned the department national recognition for its impactful approaches to contact tracing, mass vaccination and vaccine equity.
Dr. Addo-Ayensu is a visionary leader. She has served on national committees and spearheaded local, regional, and statewide public health initiatives in the areas of emergency preparedness, health promotion, and transformative community engagement and capacity building. In 2016, she was a recipient of the A. Heath Onthank Memorial Award, the highest honor Fairfax County bestows upon its employees. Dr. Addo-Ayensu received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine and her residency training in preventive medicine from the Loma Linda University Medical Center.
Who Should Apply?
Awarded to college-bound high school students, recent high school graduates, or current undergraduate students from communities that have faced barriers to opportunity, who have been accepted into an accredited program preparing them for a career in public health services. This includes a broad range of fields—such as public health, epidemiology, social work, human services, health policy, public administration, laboratory science, and related disciplines—within local, state, or federal government or the nonprofit sector. Applicants must articulate an explicit health focus in their personal statement. This scholarship is open nationally to qualified candidates.
Eligibility Requirements
- Show a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above through an official transcript
- Demonstrate a history of community service
- Submit a personal statement (300 words or fewer) describing a critical issue at the intersection of public health and science, the solutions you would propose, and how your intended field of study connects to that work
- Complete an interview with the selection committee
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA or above during college matriculation for continued scholarship funding
The 2026 application deadline has passed. Stay tuned for the 2027 application details.