The American College of Healthcare Executives has awarded two public health students at SDSU with a Graduate Student Scholarship Award.
The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) has awarded two SDSU students, Kenya Benitez and Andrew Hennings, with Graduate Student Scholarship awards. The Albert W. Dent award was established by ACHE in honor of the late Albert W. Dent, the first African-American Fellow of ACHE. The scholarship is designated for students completing their final year of a healthcare management graduate program. ACHE only awards up to 15 students a year nationwide with either the Albert W. Dent scholarship, or the Foster G. McGaw scholarship, each worth $5,000.
Kenya Benitez, completing her Master of Public Health program in the Global Health Management and Policy division, was awarded the scholarship. She said the scholarship would aid with her educational fees as she works on her Integrative Learning Experience (ILE). Her ILE is titled “Eliminating Barriers to Organ Transplantation through Translational Science Methods and Educational Approaches on Organ Preservation at the UC San Diego REIMAGINE Organ Donation Center.” With high numbers of unused deceased-donated organs, Kenya hopes to make a change for patients on organ transplantation waiting lists. By researching new ways to preserve donated organs in order to ensure a greater percentage of their use, she aims to contribute significantly to transplantation medicine.
Her personal connection to kidney and organ transplantation has been a deciding factor in pursuing this ILE. After attending the REIMAGINE Organ Donation Center conference, “Paving the Path to 60k,” Kenya’s interest in unused deceased-donated organs deepened. She learned about issues with cost, preservation, and disparity within organ donation. Ashley Cardenas, the administrative affairs coordinator of the REIMAGINE Organ Donation Center is collaborating with Dr. Gabriel Schnickel, the executive director, to create an internship opportunity for Kenya.
According to its website, ACHE is known for its prestigious credentialing and educational programs and high-caliber publications, and its vision is to be the preeminent professional society for healthcare executives dedicated to improving health. The lifesaving effects of organ transplantation are a passion of Kenya’s that she will further pursue following her receipt of this award.
