View Larger Image Justine Bersonda, center, holds certificates for the scholarships she recently received. A member of the Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) Class of 2023, Bersonda also spoke at the scholarship reception on behalf of the other scholarship recipients. Nathan Johnson, chair of the MLS department, stands left, and Dean Susan Long, right.
Justine Bersonda, center, holds certificates for the scholarships she recently received. A member of the Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) Class of 2023, Bersonda also spoke at the scholarship reception on behalf of the other scholarship recipients. Nathan Johnson, chair of the MLS department, stands left, and Dean Susan Long, right. Image by Evan Lewis

College of Health Professions Scholarship Reception Recognizes Students, Donors

By Ben Boulden

| The UAMS College of Health Professions at a Sept. 8 reception celebrated dozens of students who recently received scholarships and also brought them together with many of the donors who made those scholarships possible.

“It’s heartbreaking when we see a student who has to drop out, not for academic reasons but for financial reasons. Scholarships help them get through their programs and realize their dreams of a career in an allied health profession,” College of Health Professions Dean Susan Long, Ed.D., said.

She added that in the last five years, the college has experienced a 138% increase in enrollment, from 593 students in 2019 to 1,412 in 2023. That means the need and competition for scholarships is also greater.

Dean Long, left, and Nathan Looney, center, talk with Walter Nunnelly before the reception. Nunnelly is a scholarship donor.

Dean Long, left, and Nathan Looney, center, talk with Walter Nunnelly before the reception. Nunnelly is a scholarship donor.Image by Evan Lewis

“We’ve awarded $77,000 in scholarships this year,” Long said. “That translates to only 3% of students. Obviously, there is more work to be done to help our students attain higher education. Donors, thank you for your support. Getting a college education is far from a solo event.”

Justine Bersonda, B.A., spoke on behalf of the scholarship recipients. A member of the Class of 2023, she received two scholarships and will graduate in December from the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program.

After several years of being a caregiver for her grandmother who had multiple myeloma, she said she knew she wanted to dedicate her skills and time to helping patients and their families experiencing what hers did. Bersonda also wanted to contribute to better health outcomes for them. Her grandmother passed away after several years fighting her cancer.

“Experiencing cancer at the bedside, along with my passion for laboratory testing, motivated me to bridge the gap from the bedside to benchwork,” Bersonda said. “As I complete my final clinical rotations, my heart has been so full for UAMS and donors like you. What started as a humble calling is now becoming the experience, knowledge and skills to make a difference not only to patients at UAMS but all around the world wherever I serve.”

Phyllis Fields, M.Ed., the college’s associate dean for student affairs, announced the names of the recipients. Long presented them with certificates and recognized the donors at the reception in Bruce Commons in the Daniel W. Rahn Interprofessional Education Building on the Little Rock campus.

Donors and scholarship recipients along with College of Health Professions faculty and staff all gathered in the Bruce Commons for the annual Scholarship Reception.

Donors and scholarship recipients along with College of Health Professions faculty and staff all gathered in the Bruce Commons for the annual Scholarship Reception.Image by Evan Lewis