Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation held a scholarship luncheon on Monday, Oct. 20, celebrating 97 Baptist Health Sciences University students who received academic awards for the 2025–2026 school year. The annual luncheon brought together scholarship recipients, donors, faculty, staff and leaders from Baptist and Baptist Health Sciences University.
“The annual scholarship luncheon is always a meaningful and uplifting occasion,” said Sherita Martin, Baptist Health Sciences University’s director of development. “It brings us together to sincerely thank our generous donors and to honor the dedication and achievements of our scholarship recipients. Each year, this event reminds us how beneficial scholarship support can be.”
Jason Little, Baptist president and CEO, addressed the audience with heartfelt gratitude for donors’ continued support and dedication to advancing health care education. He emphasized the vital role these contributions play in shaping the next generation of health care professionals.
Dominique Crutchfield, a 2015 Health Administration alumna and current Alumni Association board chair president, delivered an inspiring message about the importance of giving back. Reflecting on her own student experience, she encouraged recipients to one day invest in future students just as others have invested in them.
“I’m proud to be a graduate of Baptist Health Sciences University,” said Crutchfield. “The university gave me more than a degree — it gave me purpose, confidence and a community. And that’s something worth giving back to.”
Hampton Hopkins, president of Baptist Health Sciences University, also led a panel discussion. During the discussion, several scholarship recipients shared how donor support has shaped their academic journeys.
Hank Harville, a neurodiagnostic technology student, spoke about adjusting to life in Memphis and how the university’s welcoming community made the transition easier. Melissa Maher, a nursing student and mother of two college students, including one who also attends the university, shared how her scholarship has allowed her to focus more fully on her studies. Kristen Williams, a Memphis native and first-generation college student pursuing a degree in osteopathic medicine, reflected on how growing up in the city inspired her to follow her dream of becoming a physician.
Together, their stories underscored the central message of the event — scholarships do more than relieve financial burdens, they open doors to opportunity, strengthen the health care workforce and connect generations of students and donors in a shared mission of service.
