Thank you…

Nutrition has always been my passion and I strongly believe in the saying that “you are what you eat.” Food is an integral part of our existence and our day-to-day food choices affect our health. There is a need to spread the knowledge of healthy and nutritious food to the community in order to fight the rising problem of childhood obesity and chronic lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, stroke etc. I therefore wish to acquire skills in clinical and community nutrition and be able to participate in conferences hosted by national organizations like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and several others to keep myself updated with recent research, policies and resources within the community. I would like to thank you for the scholarship as it will help me in several ways to expand my knowledge and acquire essential skills related to nutrition and health.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

Loma Linda University has an excellent blend of comprehensive curriculum and community outreach activities. Its coordinated program in Dietetics is accredited and is an accelerated program, which enables me to get a master’s degree, complete didactic courses and 1200 hours of clinical, community and food administration rotations cumulatively. This would enable me to become eligible to write the Registered Dietitian exam. Therefore, Loma Linda was always  my first University of choice. I consider ita plus that professors in the nutrition department have been pioneers of vegetarian nutrition research in the country.

I received the opportunity to volunteer and present a research poster at the 7^th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition. Although I am not a Seventh-day Adventist, my religion Hinduism, talks about Ahimsa (non-violence) and I am a vegetarian due to that philosophy. Therefore, I see Loma Linda University as a second home as it emphasizes faith and philosophy, which is how I have been raised.

Having spent more than a year in the university, I was able to take advantage of several community outreach activities. I volunteered for CAPS with their program ‘Project Hope’ and interacted with pregnant teenage mothers at high schools in San Bernardino County. Spending time with them, educating them about the importance of nutrition was very fulfilling.

Thus, a coordinated program with an emphasis on plant-based nutrition, community outreach opportunities and a faith-based environment were key reasons for my coming to Loma Linda University.

What are your career goals after graduation?

After graduation, I would like to start my career in the clinical setting and work in the hospital under an adult, pediatric or Nutrition support team. This will enhance my understanding of Medical Nutrition Therapy when presented with different diseases. It will also help make me a well-rounded nutritionist.

I would eventually like to move to the outpatient setting and do more one-on-one counseling and community nutrition education. I strongly feel that the current health care system emphasizes treatment over prevention. Preventive activities like nutrition education, physical activity, smoking cessation, lifestyle modification could greatly help in lowering the health care costs and improve the standard of living.

In the month of March 2018, I was selected for the John Milner Nutrition and Cancer Prevention Practicum, which was held at the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, MD. I was able to acquire a lot of information on the current research topics related to nutrition and cancer. This has also increased my interest towards research activities and if I have the resources, I would like to pursue a PhD in Nutrition after working for a few years.  

Thank you…

Thank you for making this scholarship possible. It helps so much as I, like many students, am struggling to pay for school. Your gifts for scholarships are greatly appreciated.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I decided to attend the School of Public Health because it was the only school that offered an MBA that focuses on Healthcare Administration. The program stood out from all the other school. In addition, it was beneficial to be in a school that has its own hospital so educational benefits could extend into the field.

What are your career goals after graduation?

I want to get back into hospital administration. I am looking to apply for an administrative fellowship and hopefully become a project manager within a hospital. Aside from my career, I want to travel more and give back to my community and the world.

Thank you…

Living in a foreign country, going to graduate school and raising children with a spouse who is abroad, is not easy.  I was having days when I wondered whether I might have taken on more than I could handle. Your scholarship came at just the right moment because it provided the reaffirmation I needed that my hard work will eventually pay off.  Sometimes life takes you in a direction where the future seems so blurred and filled with so many uncertainties, but your generous gift gave me so much hope. It was a life defining moment that I will never forget. You boosted my confidence.  Thank you very much.  May God bless you and your family as you continue to touch the lives of students.  

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

Although I am a third generation Seventh-day Adventist, I had never been enrolled or considered enrolling my family into any of the Adventist institutions.  My view on Christian education changed a few years ago when I completed my Adventist Youth Leadership training in Zimbabwe and became a Masterguide. (this is the completion of the Pathfinder youth training within the Adventist Church) I started to appreciate the benefits of the Adventist Education System.  I was looking for an institution proactively bridging the gap between the wealth of knowledge found in a first world country and the needs that exist in third world regions. When the time came for me to further my education, I looked for an Adventist University conveniently located near an Adventist Elementary school for my two sons.  LLU checked all the boxes and was my only University of choice. It is one of the best decisions I have made for my sons and myself.                                  

What are your career goals after graduation?

When I initially enrolled in the School of Public Health, attaining an MPH was my goal.  Then, I discovered the LLUH Preventive Medicine Program and immediately felt that I found the missing piece in my life that would link my new purpose in Public health, with my education as a physician.  I want to be Board Certified in Preventive, Occupational and Environmental Medicine and hope to start residency in July 2019.  I am considering the DrPH program as the evening classes work well for working professionals. I don't yet have an ultimate idea about the organization, position or location where I’d like to end up.  However, there is one thing I am sure of; I want to spread my wings and soar as high as the Lord allows.  Ten years ago I had the opportunity to further my education on the East Coast, but I was unable to finish school due to reasons beyond my control.  I am not going to waste this second chance God has given me so I am aiming high.                                       

Thank you…

Thank you very much for making this scholarship possible. I am working full-time in order to pay for my education and this helps make this quarter’s expenses more bearable.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I was inspired by LLU’s motto “to make man whole” and continue the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ. In all I do, I pray I can educate on the wholeness only Jesus can give.

What are your career goals after graduation?

I am currently employed at Adventist Health System Corporate Services and I plan to continue to work for the CREATION Health and Wellness department.

Thank you…

I am grateful for your kind consideration to award me the Hulda Crooks Research Grant! Without your gift, my tudy on governance and management of mission hospitals in developing countries so as to help them develop sustainable interventions would have been difficult or impossible to actualize. My research seeks to assess how frontline healthcare workers and stakeholders in developing countries perceive that their institutions are managed and governed. The results would facilitate a strategy to improve service delivery in resource-limited areas of the world by improving local capacity development and long-term sustainability. Your grant is timely, and has come at a time when I need it most to facilitate my research logistics. Na gode sosai! ~ meaning “many thanks” in Hausa language, spoken in some West African countries.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

The Health Policy and Leadership Program and the School of Public Health fit my personal philosophy and research interests.

What are your career goals after graduation?

I plan to work towards developing sustainable healthcare systems in low and middle-income regions of the world.

Thank you…                                   

Thank you for this honor! This scholarship is especially meaningful to me because you helped me edit my first published paper on sleep! You are such a fantastic person who has made this world a MUCH better place. I am honored to have known you, taken classes from you and benefitted from your guidance and knowledge! 

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I chose Loma Linda University School of Public Health because of its location and the fact that it has a great DrPH program.

What are your career goals after graduation?

My aspiration is to do sleep research, which includes identifying a reason for the obesity paradox; changing primary healthcare clinical practice to include a sleep vital sign – every patient, every visit; changing hospital policy and practice on sleep for night shift workers and physicians on-call; changing the hospital patient sleep policy and practice of when to wake up a patient; identifying the lifestyle practices that protect REM sleep the most and/or cause the most harm – to show individuals how to decrease their risk of dementia; create a sleep class curriculum for LLU based on the eight principles – focusing on the how and when, not just the why; evaluating the change in metabolic indicators of health before and after patients take the LLU sleep classes; evaluating the emotional stability and behavioral changes in teenagers who ingest caffeine within eight hours of bedtime vs. those who do not have caffeinated products in the eight hours before bedtime; evaluating the decrease in traffic accidents one, three, and five years after sleep vital signs begin; evaluating the financial savings gained when patients with sleep problems are diagnosed early (decrease in diabetes, heart disease, dementia, obesity, depression, all inflammatory chronic diseases); these are a few of my sleep research ideas that will keep me busy for a while.

Thank you…

I am truly thankful for your kindness and generosity. I quit my job mid-way through the program as the upcoming courses would not allow me to keep my full-time, day job. I had no idea how I was going to fund the rest of my tuition, but knowing that the Lord led me to this program gave me the faith He would provide the necessary means for me to finish the program, and it is through your help that the remainder of my tuition is covered.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

In 2016, I prayed about my next steps in life, and the Lord directed me to a friend who encouraged me to look into LLU’s Healthcare Administration program. I knew I wanted to continue my education, but I had thought it would be later in life. I didn’t feel it was the right time for me, nor did I have the necessary funds to get me through school. Still, I felt the Lord instructing me to take this step. Looking back, I see why He chose LLU for me at that specific time. I am blessed with the cohort I am in and have gained mentors whom I can turn to as I press on in my professional career.                                   

What are your career goals after graduation?

After graduation, I plan to stay with Loma Linda University Health in the location where I did my practicum. Had it not been for the program, I don’t think I would have ended up in the Pediatric Department. I aim to gain as much knowledge and expertise in the field of healthcare administration.  Most of all, I hope to contribute all that I can in fulfilling the mission of continuing the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ.

Thank you…

From the bottom of my heart, thank you! This scholarship means so much to me as I near the completion of my degree. Pursuing a doctorate program while working full-time and being a full-time mom has been challenging to say the least, and this scholarship has inspired me to keep fighting and to remember the “Why” behind it all. Thank you for believing in me. May God bless you abundantly!

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

Choosing to come to LLU was one of the easiest and best decisions I’ve ever made. I grew up in Loma Linda and witnessed first-hand the impact that LLU has in the community and around the globe. LLU’s dedication to high quality education, which translates into effective, holistic and Christ-centered patient care, is truly one of a kind. In considering a wide range of public health programs, LLU stood out to me as the perfect fit, because beyond the high academic standards, at its core, the mission of this University is to reflect Christ. Without this higher purpose, I think Public Health programs and initiatives fall short. The courses, the projects, and interactions I was a part of these past three years have made a tremendous impact in my personal and professional life, and have instilled in me the passion and courage to look beyond the limitations I set for myself, or that others set for me, and focus on the purpose for which I was created – to love God and others. I pray that I may diligently reflect this Love in everything that I do, and as a Public Health professional not just promote health, but most importantly, bring people to the true Healer.                            

What are your career goals after graduation?

After graduation, my goal is to pursue a career in teaching and research. For the past six years I’ve worked as a Health Educator – at the community and national level – and feel that my experience along with my education from LLU will allow me to make a positive impact in the lives of future public health professionals and in my community. As I progressed through my degree, I was able to uncover and hone in on the areas that interest me most in Public Health -- two of which being Worksite Wellness and Healthy Aging. I hope that through my future research, I can contribute to these areas of Public Health and help translate research findings into practice.

Thank you…

To receive this scholarship is a blessing to me and I can’t thank you enough for it. I am a first-generation student and the path I took to get to where I am now was not the smoothest. I used to be involved in many extracurricular activities, volunteering, event planning, and slept an average of 4 to 5 hours in high school. I spent a lot of time, brushing up on my skills and knowledge to get myself to college. I am not a great test-taker so I spent more time than my peers studying. Considering that I was surrounded by peers who were involved in unhealthy and risky activities, I am very appreciative of how far I have gone. By the time I made it into college, I had to face failure as a result of poor test-taking skills. Failure didn’t stop me, and I believed that diligence would get me somewhere. After all the struggles, I am finally in graduate school. I thank those who have supported me or rejected me. I wholeheartedly believe that all intentions have gifted me strength. I am thankful for my parents, for they poured in their blood, sweat, and tears into getting me the education they never received. My father has been the sole provider, working insanely timed shifts, to support the family. My mother was my teacher, the planner, and the person who took care of the entire household. My family struggled to financially support me throughout my undergraduate years. I couldn’t bear to witness the struggles they went through, so my graduate education is all dependent on loans.

I work a part-time job to support my monthly living expenses.  I am very grateful for this scholarship, because I know it will take some weight off my back. I would have never imagined myself being the one chosen for a scholarship, especially in graduate school. I believe that God heard my prayers to help those in need. I believe my diligence and persistence can only get me so far. It is people like you who guide me further down the path to success and help me get closer to achieving my goals. May God bless you all!

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I chose the School of Public Health because I admire Loma Linda University’s faith-based mission and values: I believe in bringing hope, health and healing to everyone regardless of ethnicity, culture, gender, beliefs or age.                                   

What are your career goals after graduation?

After graduation, I hope to establish a career in health promotion and education and improve quality of life in communities around me. My lifelong goal is to practice what I preach and bring other people hope, health and healing. Every day is a blessing and I want to share my blessings with everyone.

Thank you…

Thank you so much for your generosity! Because of your kindness, this scholarship will help me complete the capstone of my DrPH program—the dissertation. This scholarship reduces some of the anxiety around securing enough funds for my project and completing my degree. Since my master’s program at San Diego State University, I have had to borrow money from the government to fund my education. At times, I have had three part-time jobs to ensure I had enough money to live in San Diego while attending school. Regardless, I have always felt that this debt is good debt, so I can live my dream and help others be healthy. This generous donation will allow me to finish what I have started and bring my dream to fruition. I am excited to complete the DrPH program and begin the next phase of my life—making  people whole. Again, thank you so much!

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I made my decision to pursue a Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH) degree and Loma Linda University’s School of Public Health was the right school to do it. The program provides students with leadership and research experience, accessible and competent mentorship, while also paralleling my vision for a whole, authentic life. Aside from the usual class standards for DrPH programs (e.g., statistics and epidemiology) there is course work dedicated to the development of leadership and research skills. In addition, the University has one unique component that sets the school apart from others—spirituality. Loma Linda University strives to treat the whole person—mind, body and soul. This is readily apparent in the robust course offerings inherent to the DrPH, but also to the lifestyle the University embraces. Prior to attending, I visited the campus, met warm people, and sensed a supportive academic environment that embraced the uniqueness of all. This is the experience I sought, while living a whole life. The School of Public Health is the place where I can obtain the leadership and research skills needed to help me lead our communities to a healthier tomorrow. This is the place where I can obtain not only outstanding mentorship, but also interact with genuinely warm people who are sincere in helping others. Lastly, this is the place where I can grow spiritually. I knew this was the place for me to obtain my DrPH degree and be the change that not only inspires others, but also leads them to a brighter, healthier tomorrow. 

What are your career goals after graduation?

Upon obtaining my DrPH degree, I plan on continuing my work at the American Red Cross WIC program where I lead a robust wellness program for approximately 100 employees. In addition, I want to refine and expand our new participant wellness program. In the process of expanding our offerings. I want to publish a feasibility study on it. In addition, I plan to conduct an intervention to test the new program in our agency. In three to five years, I want to offer this program at all of our six locations and  work to expand it statewide as a model to help our WIC participant’s live healthier lives.       

Thank you…

I am deeply humbled and filled with immense gratitude to be awarded this scholarship. This means a lot to me and I am so thankful for the generosity and continued support to students like me. This scholarship has provided me with a renewed sense of hope and conviction to continue making a difference in my community and the MBA program at SPH. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to hope again. May God richly bless you.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

My personal decision to pursue graduate education was challenging, especially balancing work and family life. I was looking for an academic institution that integrates Christian faith into academic learning experience. I decided to attend the School of Public Health at Loma Linda University because it was the only SPH that offered an MBA program with a healthcare administration emphasis. LLU’s SPH is unique and world renowned. It also had the integrated experience I was looking for, and shared my personal values.

What are your career goals after graduation?

My short term goal is to graduate from SPH with distinction, serve my community through volunteering and community engagement and make a difference in people’s lives. I am also committed to personal development by becoming certified in Lean Six Sigma and Project Management Professional. My long term goal is to become a leader in the not-for-profit healthcare industry in areas of advancement, finance and operations as well as hospital administration and management.

Thank you…                           

I cannot thank everyone enough for this gift. Words cannot express my appreciation for this award! I have been eager to attend more conferences like the incredible International Conference on Vegetarian Nutrition here at Loma Linda University. Yet, my financial situation has been a barrier. I am so excited to learn more, network with others, grow professionally, and meet some of my role models. This would not have been possible without this scholarship.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I wanted to serve in Loma Linda University’s mission by promoting and advocating healthy lifestyles, especially vegetarian diets, drug abstinence, exercise and stress management. The School of Public Health at Loma Linda University aligned with my values and I believed would provide me with the best education to achieve my goals. I also chose to attend LLUSPH because they are one of the leaders in plant-based nutrition and I wanted to get involved with the wonderful research being conducted here.

What are your career goals after graduation?

After graduation, my plan is to practice as a registered dietitian before to attending medical school. My goals include healing people with chronic disease through plant-based nutrition and lifestyle factors, as well as staying involved in plant-based research, both of which I’m very passionate about.

Thank you…                

I am honored and humbled to be the recipient of the SPH Joyce W Hopp Scholarship. Returning to school for my doctorate was a dream I put off for years. After years had passed, moves, kids, and a change in career, I hardly expected the opportunity to get my doctorate would come at all, let alone so soon. The professors at Loma Linda University School of Public Health have encouraged me to step outside the box and explore new opportunities to improve the health of people.  I am grateful for the support donors like you provide to the school and to students like me.  This scholarship will help me give back to the university which has provided me not only an exceptional education, but also a chance to pursue fulfilling employment. I will strive to apply my skills beyond the university and continue to accomplish Loma Linda University’s motto to make man whole I am committed to my education and to the fields of public health and health education. Thankfully with your continued generosity and the Joyce W Hopp scholarship I am now one step closer to my goals.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I chose Loma Linda University for my advanced education because of its holistic approach towards health. Many universities concern themselves on with the physical wellbeing of a patient. The concerns end when the ailment is eliminated or controlled. This often leads to public health and health education being a secondary concern at best.  To me, health encompasses all aspects of life: physical, social, emotional, intellectual, environmental, and spiritual. LLU’s motto to make man whole clearly identifies the need to attend not only to a person’s physical ailment, but the whole person. In the short time I have worked for and attended LLU, I have been impressed by how seamlessly, yet mindfully, they incorporate all aspects of health.  There is an enthusiastic desire to make new connections and identify new innovations to improve the lives of the community. LLU’s holistic approach to health has made the university and medical center the success that it is today. That success is shared by the community being identified as a Blue Zone®. I have been honored to be a part of that mission.

What are your career goals after graduation?

I have been making a transition from the basic sciences to public health. To me, Health Education is the culmination of my love for the health sciences, my love for teaching and my desire to help people to live healthier lives. I am confident that obtaining Loma Linda University’s, DrPH in Health education will enable me to harness my wide-ranging experiences and thrive in the field of Health Education. I hope to continue my interest in finding ways to use technology to improve the lives of people, whether through a position at a university, a private company or within the government. I will leave it to God’s plan.

Thank you…

I would like to extend a thank you for making this scholarship possible to me. Without this scholarship my education would slow down due to lack of funding. So, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to continue my studies. To know my efforts are rewarded is an inspiration. Your generosity is an answer to many prayers and so much appreciated! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I made the decision to attend the Loma Linda University School of Public Health after many prayers and because I have the same mission and values in my life. I wanted to learn as much as possible to know how I can improve, or what I can improve, in the healthcare profession. I also wanted to learn how to be the best leader I can possibly be to accomplish God’s will and mission in my life, and how I can touch the lives of others through God’s help.

What are your career goals after graduation?

I am very thankful God gave me this special opportunity to study at LLUSPH. Learning from my professors has been a great experience. Their dedication, patience and great knowledge in the field of Healthcare Administration is a continuous inspiration for me. I want everything I do to be in line with God’s plan for my life. I know He loves and cares for me, and I know He has a plan that He will be revealed in His time. My wish is to serve at Loma Linda University Health in any position in which God places me. My desire and goal is to be well prepared for the future job God has for me!

Thank you…

By awarding me this scholarship you have lightened my financial burden, which allows me to focus more on the most important aspect of school – learning. Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community. I hope one day I will be able to help students achieve their goals just as you’ve helped me.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I chose Loma Linda University because it has a superior program in health education within the School of Public Health. The program includes the community lab where we experience real qualitative research methods and program implementation.

What are your career goals after graduation?

I’m planning to work as a teacher assistant at Umm Al-Qura University in Saudi Arabia and continue researching in my area of interest. I also plan to participate in community work to increase health awareness.

Thank you…

Thank you for making this scholarship possible. It helps so much as I, like many students, am struggling to pay for school. Your gifts for scholarships are greatly appreciated.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I decided to attend the School of Public Health because it was the only school that offered an MBA that focuses on Healthcare Administration. The program stood out from all the other school. In addition, it was beneficial to be in a school that has its own hospital so educational benefits could extend into the field.                                   

What are your career goals after graduation?

I want to get back into hospital administration. I am looking to apply for an administrative fellowship and hopefully become a project manager within a hospital. Aside from my career, I want to travel more and give back to my community and the world.

Thank you…                                  

Thank you so much for your generosity and willingness to support us – the nutrition students. As a recipient of the scholarship, I greatly appreciate it and I’m motivated to serve the public with my nutrition experience and knowledge. Your support means so much to me. Thank you!

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

Loma Linda University is a well-known institution for vegetarian nutrition. The outstanding reputation, a faith-based institution and warm friendly environment drew me to the School. It is my privilege to be part of Loma Linda University during my undergraduate and master’s degree. I have now completed my doctoral degree in nutrition from the School of Public Health.                                   

What are your career goals after graduation?

Having degrees in nutrition and training in epidemiology, my passion and career goal is to do research in nutritional epidemiology. My purpose is to be able to enhance nutrition knowledge with the evidence from an epidemiology standpoint.

Thank you…                           

Thank you so much for this scholarship. This means a lot to me because I will be able to further my educational and professional endeavors while commemorating Ms. Ruth White. I hope to be an example for our future female leaders as I pursue my political and public health career.

Why did you decide to attend to Loma Linda University?

I feel Loma Linda University provides a comprehensive approach to education and has provided me an avenue to tap into my skill set while expanding on my knowledge base.             

What are your career goals after graduation?

I am currently running for Carlsbad City Council. I hope to be elected into this position and represent my community. I hope to bring forward the public health perspective into the political arena to further educate our fellow resident on our local issues, while improving overall quality of life. I hope to be part of the policy making process while incorporating my educational training I have received from Loma Linda University. (We congratulate Priya on her election as a City Council Member, District 3)