Downey students earn healthcare scholarships

NORWALK - The Cerritos College Foundation awarded eight scholarships for students in healthcare majors at its board meeting on Thursday, May 17.Physical Therapist Assistant Program Chair Julie Bathke presented the Mark and Barnett Chen Physical Therapy Scholarship to Danielle Montenegro of La Verne and The Mark and Barnett Chen Nursing Scholarship to Anna Leonard of Orange. Established in 2009 in memory of Mr. Chen who himself devoted much of his life to the health care field and to honor his wife, Barnett, who dedicated her life to the care of others, each scholarship provides $500 to outstanding students in the nursing program and physical therapy assistant program respectively. Julie Bathke also presented the Marijean Piorkowski Scholarship to Veronica Gonzalez of Long Beach. The $500 scholarship was established in 2010 in honor of Marijean Piorkowski, a retired physical therapy faculty member of Cerritos College. The foundation also presented five scholarship awards which have been newly established by Cerritos College Trustee Dr. Tina Cho to support students seeking careers in health care including healthcare research and reform. The $500 Cho Family Scholarship was presented to Cristhiam Santos of Downey. The scholarship honors a health care major who is involved in Project HOPE and has a desire to serve the underserved populations. The Healthcare Reform Scholarship was received by Della Drummond of Buena Park. The $500 scholarship is awarded to a student with a focus in healthcare policy and reform. Jang Kim, of Norwalk, was the first recipient of the Pill Cho Healthcare Research Scholarship. The scholarship, established by Dr. Cho in memory of her father Dr. Pill Jay Cho, honors an outstanding student pursuing a career in health care. Dr. Pill Cho was a professor of sociology and former Dean of the School of Social Work at Grambling State University. He passed away from pancreatic cancer in 1998. "Hold fast to your dreams. If you can think them, believe them and act on them, then your dreams can become a reality. Everyone has gifts and talents in this world. Use them to the best of your ability for your designated purpose to help others, and you will also help yourself," said Dr. Cho to the students. The $300 and $100 Cho Recognition Awards, which recognize outstanding students in the health care field, were received by: $300 Cho Recognition Award: Ha Tran of Norwalk Hannah Hinton of Downey Phung Duong of Cerritos Anh Vu of Norwalk Benjamin Nwakanma of Norwalk Zanjbeel Mahmood of Downey $100 Cho Recognition Award: Lizandra Salcido of Compton Victor Urquia of Los Angeles Hannah Deguzman of Norwalk Suparna Bajaj of Artesia Judith Pena of Downey Amalia Lucci of Whittier Ardene Deverturda of Signal Hill Reena Angeles of Cerritos Kayee Villarreal of Menifee Kiran Khanal of Artesia Carissa Alvarez of Bellflower Casey Miller of Norwalk

********** Published: June 07, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 08