AHA Announces Multicultural Scholarship Recipients

Chelsea Reed

Through the Go Red For Women campaign, the American Heart Association recently announced recipients of the first 2012 Go Red Multicultural Scholarship Fund. Sixteen $2,500 scholarships were awarded to multicultural women pursuing careers in healthcare that aspire to help their communities.

The scholarship fund is designed to inspire and support women in their studies and expand the much-needed pipeline of diverse nursing and medical students, while increasing cultural competence in health care. Research shows that numerous ethnic groups — including African-Americans and Hispanics — are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease and risk factors, confront barriers to diagnosis and care, and experience worse health outcomes than their Caucasian counterparts.

Crystal Vasquez

As a condition of the scholarship, the winners must perform community service in their areas and will have exposure to healthcare professionals in their fields. The scholarships will be available to the 16 women during the fall 2012 school year, including three recipients in the SouthWest Affiliate:

•    Chelsea Reed, 18, Stephen F. Austin State University, of Missouri City, TX
•    Crystal Vasquez, 19, University of New Mexico, of  Albuquerque, NM
•    Guadalupe Sinyard, 19, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic University, of Brownsville, TX

Guadalupe Sinyard

The Go Red Multicultural Scholarship is made possible by the Macy's Multicultural Fund. Macy's is a national sponsor of Go Red For Women and Go Red Por Tu Corazón and has helped raise more than $28 million for the cause since 2004.