About our Scholarship
About the Scholarship
As the only local organization of its kind representing the health care, biotech and medical device industries through advertising, marketing, graphic design and public relations, HCC is proud to recognize success in the field of communications by presenting one or more students with a scholarship for their passion for health care.
In conjunction with AMN Healthcare, the title sponsor of the annual Finest Awards, high school seniors and college students currently enrolled in a San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles school district who plan to enter the field of health care upon graduation are invited to submit an application for the opportunity to win a minimum of $3,000 scholarship, courtesy of AMN Healthcare. The winner(s) are also recognized at the annual Finest Awards event, alongside the health care industry's leading communications professionals.
Contest Guidelines
- Write and submit an essay on the topic: “Why I Plan to Enter the Field of Health Care After College Graduation.”
- Entries must be no more than two typed, double-spaced, one-sided pages in length. Please include your name, address, phone number, email address and name of your school with your entry.
- A letter of recommendation must accompany each entry. The letter may be written by a teacher, principal, counselor or professional presently working in the healthcare field. Please limit the letter of recommendation to one page.
- An unofficial copy of your transcripts, or other record of classes taken and grades received, must also accompany each entry.
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College students, please make sure to include both your high school and college unofficial transcripts.
- Qualified applicants must be high school seniors or college students presently enrolled, and in good standing, in a San Diego, Orange County or Los Angeles County school.
- This scholarship is available to all US citizens.
- All entries must be received for judging between application period ended.
To qualify, please attach all required documents in one email and send to hcc.scholarship@gmail.com
About AMN Healthcare
AMN Healthcare is the leader in healthcare staffing services for healthcare facilities across the United States. AMN Healthcare provides innovative healthcare workforce solutions and staffing services that help clients, clinicians and physicians deliver excellent, cost effective patient care.
Tung Nguyen, 2017 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner is a recent graduate of Patrick Henry High School who is attending San Diego State University studying Biology. After immigrating to the United States just four years ago, Tung was determined to be the one who made a difference for his family. He overcame a variety of hardships and continued to excel in school, graduating with a 4.21 cumulative GPA. In his scholarship essay submission, Tung shared, "Being an immigrant has taught me how to overcome struggles, how to stay determined and work hard towards my goal of becoming a first-generation college student for my family and achieve my dream career of being an epidemiologist."
Lauren Haneke-Hopps, 2016 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner 
Past Scholarship Winners
| Congratulations to the 18th Annual HCC & AMN Healthcare Scholarship Essay Contest winner, Bryan Cheng. Bryan Cheng, 2021 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner, is a recent graduate of Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego and is attending the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a major in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. He is passionate about the field of global health and aims to aid communities where access to medical resources is limited or nonexistent. Throughout high school, he has volunteered on medical missions trips in the local area and beyond, including a pop-up clinic in Tijuana, Mexico and at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya, which have solidified his desire to enter the fields of medicine and global health. He hopes to become a physician and help people around the world gain access to medical care through both direct clinical work and investing in health care professionals who already practice in the regions with the most need. Read more about Bryan in his hometown paper Del Mar Times and the Times of San Diego or check out his on campus video here. |
| Congratulations to the 17th Annual HCC & AMN Healthcare Scholarship Essay Contest winner, Argentina Fretwell. Argentina Fretwell, 2020 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner, is a current Palomar College nursing student. Before being admitted to the nursing program, Argentina volunteered at Sharp Memorial Hospital and worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant on a telemetry unit. She also has her basic life support and medical terminology certifications. Her next goal is to obtain her Spanish medical terminology certificate. Argentina’s previous volunteer and work experience has made it easier for her to transition to her new role as a student nurse. During COVID-19, she has also learned about how essential it is for nurses and healthcare workers to be flexible and adaptable to different situations. This semester has been a unique learning experience for Argentina and her nursing instructors, but she is enjoying every minute of her simulation lab experiences and Zoom lecture meetings. |
| Congratulations to the 16th Annual HCC & AMN Healthcare Scholarship Essay Contest winner, Oberlyn Gambito. Oberlyn Gambito recently graduated from Sweetwater High School. She will be attending the University of California San Diego this coming fall and major in Molecular and Cell Biology. Migrating to the United States was a major turning point of her life because she had to adapt to a whole new culture that was substantially different from the culture she was accustomed to. For instance, the English language placed her in massive struggle. Initially, she struggled to do well in school due to her inability to understand and speak English fluently. But, she persevered to advance her ability to speak the English language by reading books and taking ELD class. Consequently, she was able to maintain her spot on the Principal’s Honor Roll and graduated high school with a GPA of 4.42. Overcoming this language barrier further encouraged Oberlyn to keep achieving highly in her academics and pursue her dream of becoming a Pediatrician. To gain experience in the medical setting, she joined the Health Academy Program at her high school. In addition to taking medical related classes, she was given the opportunity to participate in a mentorship program at Scripps Mercy Hospital where she worked closely with doctors in different departments. Determined to further her experience, Oberlyn is actively looking for more medical related volunteer opportunities in order to acquire more knowledge about the field she sees herself in the future. |
| Congratulations to the 15th Annual HCC & AMN Healthcare Scholarship Essay Contest winner, Tanner Curnow. Tanner graduated from Fallbrook Union High School. He will be attending California Baptist University for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Tanner interned at Palomar Hospital, and said he knew he wanted to become a nurse after caring for a hospice patient who lived for six months and passed away in my home during my junior year of high school. Currently, Tanner is working night shifts as an Emergency Room Technician at Paradise Valley Hospital as well as a second year California State Beach Lifeguard. |
| Tung Nguyen, 2017 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner is a recent graduate of Patrick Henry High School who is attending San Diego State University studying Biology. After immigrating to the United States just four years ago, Tung was determined to be the one who made a difference for his family. He overcame a variety of hardships and continued to excel in school, graduating with a 4.21 cumulative GPA. In his scholarship essay submission, Tung shared, "Being an immigrant has taught me how to overcome struggles, how to stay determined and work hard towards my goal of becoming a first-generation college student for my family and achieve my dream career of being an epidemiologist." |
| Lauren Haneke-Hopps, 2016 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner is a recent graduate from Patrick Henry High School who is now attending University of Alabama studying the field of Kinesiology and playing collegiate wheelchair tennis. As an adapted athlete, she has personally experienced what it feels like to receive much needed healthcare assistance. In her essay, Lauren shared, “Being in a wheelchair does not limit me; I hope to share with those that have been born with a disability or injured, that anything is possible to overcome and achieve any goal that is sent in their mind.” After four years of studying Kinesiology, she plans to become an occupational or physical therapist. |
| Nagham Adeeb, 2015 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner is attending UC San Diego studying general biology. Nagham came to the United States from Iraq in 2008. She is a graduate of El Cajon Valley High School and says to believe in yourself because if a group of strangers believe in you and picked you for this scholarship to pick you can do it to." |
| Shay Ricketts, 2014 AMN Healthcare/HCC Scholarship winner is attending University of San Diego and last we heard was majoring in either Biophysics or Biology. Shay is a San Diego native. She attended Valhalla High School and was a competitive runner. According to an article in usdtoreros.com Shay was once named Second Team All-CIF, High School Student Athlete of the Year. Steve When and the team at AMN Healthcare scrubbed through hundreds of scholarships and found Shay's to be the most original and inspirational in 2014. We were happy to receive a video from Shay providing us a beautiful tour of her campus at USD as well as some helpful tips for the new college student. Shay told us in this video interview, "Thank you again for awarding me the scholarship last year. It has made all the difference and has made USD economical feasible for me and my family." You can hear more in this short video clip Shay shared with us last year, which was presented at our 2015 Finest Awards celebration. |
