More than 850 students have received more than $1.8 million in scholarships from the Foundation since inception
(Left to right) Dr. Venkamma Reddy and Sunitha Reddy with 2024 Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation Scholarship recipients: Emily Mazurek and Klaudia Schoffstall (Photo: Business Wire)
(Left to right) Dr. Venkamma Reddy and Sunitha Reddy with 2024 Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation Scholarship recipients: Emily Mazurek and Klaudia Schoffstall (Photo: Business Wire)
2024 Scholarship Award Recipients The Foundation has awarded more than $1.8 million in academic scholarships. (Photo: Business Wire)
VICTORVILLE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation presented its annual scholarship award in the amount of $155,000 to a class of 88 outstanding and diverse High Desert students who are seeking higher education in the health sciences on Thursday in Victorville. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.8 million in academic scholarships.
“We’re proud to honor this year’s scholarship recipient class who have shown an exemplary commitment to healthcare and a sincere desire to help others,” said Sunitha Reddy, Executive Director of the Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation. “We are so touched by the stories of our scholarship recipients and their tenacity and dedication, and we are honored to help them realize their greatest potential.”
Founded in 1989 by healthcare visionary Dr. Prem Reddy, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Prime Healthcare, the Foundation has donated millions of dollars to various charities supporting health education, college scholarships, public healthcare education, and free community clinics both locally and across the globe.
This year, the Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation Scholarship saw a record number of applicants. This year’s increase in scholarship applications by students ranging in ages from 16 to 54. From high school students overcoming significant hardships to single mothers pursuing their dreams of healthcare service, each recipient has demonstrated academic excellence and a sincere commitment to serving the healthcare needs of the community.
During the evening, scholarship recipients were recognized and presented certificates from Sunitha Reddy and Dr. Venkamma Reddy, Co-Founder of the Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation.
“The journey you are embarking on is not just a career; it is a calling. A calling that requires compassion, empathy, and a fundamental desire to help others,” said Sunitha Reddy. “The scholarships awarded tonight are a recognition of your potential to make a profound difference in the lives of countless individuals and your communities. You exemplify what it means to be a beacon of hope for so many. The lives you touch, the patients you care for and the communities you serve will forever be impacted by your actions.”
Sisters Emily Mazurek and Klaudia Schoffstall, 2024 Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation Scholarship recipients, shared their gripping story of family, resolve and their educational path. First-generation immigrants and natives of the High Desert and employees of Desert Valley Hospital, the sisters addressed the audience jointly while telling how their family persevered through the death of their mother to COVID-19 and how they turned their loss into motivation to fuel their career path to helping others.
“Working in healthcare is so much more than just a job,” Schoffstall said. “I believe it really takes a special person to be there in some of the toughest moments, and provide a caring touch, exceptional care, as well as being a patient advocate. My mother knew I always wanted to become a nurse, and I think a big part of me returning to school was watching my younger sister overcome so many difficulties while still excelling in school.”
The evening’s keynote was delivered by Carol Lee, MD, Emergency Medicine Vice Chair and Emergency Medicine Residency Program Director at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Dr. Lee, a first-generation immigrant herself, reinforced the importance of perseverance while setting goals.
“Your skills, talent, and knowledge are too valuable for you to give up too quickly,” Dr. Lee said. “As you embark on your own journey, I would ask you stay resilient. I believe that you too can achieve the American Dream like me.”
The evening culminated with an inspiring message from Sunitha Reddy that included a check presentation highlighting the $155,000 in scholarships awarded by the Foundation.
The list of speakers and presenters included:
The High Desert of Southern California is considered a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), meaning there is a shortage of primary, dental, or mental healthcare providers. Many of the scholarship recipients expressed a desire to remain in the High Desert serving their community. In addition, to address the significant need for physicians in the Inland Empire, Dr. Reddy and the Prime Healthcare Foundation have established one of California’s newest medical schools, the California University of Science and Medicine, in Colton, CA, with a more than $70 million contribution. The first MD class of 62 new physicians graduated on May 21, 2022, and many of them will be serving their residency and/or have pledged to practice in the Inland Empire.
About the Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation
The Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation, founded by Dr. Prem Reddy and his family, has donated millions in support of health education, college scholarships, public healthcare education, and free community clinics. On a global level, the foundation supports Samaritan’s Purse by donating equipment used in clinics in poverty-stricken regions around the world. The foundation also funds clean water initiatives, childhood vaccinations programs, educational grants, new medical clinics, and medical missions. For more information, visit www.premreddy.com.
Andrea Bell, Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation Scholarship Committee
760-381-8913 or scholarships@reddyfamilyfoundation.org.
Andrea Bell, Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation Scholarship Committee
760-381-8913 or scholarships@reddyfamilyfoundation.org.
