HENRICO, VA (December 18, 2025) – Virginia Community Healthcare Association (VCHA), in partnership with the Virginia Community Healthcare Foundation (VCHF), is excited to announce the recipients of the 2025 VCHA Community Health Scholarships, supporting graduate students pursuing careers in nursing, and behavioral health.
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY (VCU) SCHOOL OF NURSING
- Devon Jones
- Savanna Hartbarger
- Alexis Johnson
- Joevelyn Lara
- Melissa Frank
- April Thomas
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY (VCU) SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
- Tasnia Zakir
- D’Asia Robertson
- Eve Gilles
- Nadji Oueid
Each recipient has been awarded a 2-year scholarship of $2,500 per year, totaling $5,000, to help cover tuition, books, and other educational expenses. These fellowships are designed to support students as they prepare to enter the healthcare workforce in Virginia, particularly in community health settings that serve medically underserved populations. To further encourage graduates to serve where they’re needed most, VCHF will offer an additional $10,000 career incentive to any scholarship recipient who chooses to begin their professional journey at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Virginia. This bonus recognizes and rewards their commitment to improving access to care in high-need communities across the state.
“Through VCHA’s Community Health Scholarship program, we’re proud to support these future healthcare leaders,” said Tracy Douglas, VCHA Chief Executive Officer. “Each recipient has demonstrated exceptional commitment to their communities through volunteer work, clinical experience, and academic excellence. These students are preparing to enter careers that will strengthen Virginia’s healthcare system and ensure access to care for all.”
Scholarship Program Details
In 2025, VCHA and VCHF collaborated with Virginia Commonwealth University, offering six 2-year scholarships for Nurse Practitioner students and four 2-year scholarships for Behavioral Health Master’s students. Students were selected based on academic achievement, community service, leadership potential, and a demonstrated commitment to serving medically underserved populations.
“We have plans to expand the scholarship program in 2026 to additional public universities across Virginia,” said Douglas. “By broadening our pipeline and investing in students pursuing high-demand careers like nursing and behavioral health, VCHA is not only helping tackle workforce shortages but also opening doors to quality care for every Virginian.”
About the VCHA Community Health Scholarship
The VCHA Community Health Scholarship provides early-career readiness support for students pursuing careers in public health and community healthcare. The Scholarship is supported in part by a grant from Kaiser Permanente and by other generous donors. To learn more, or to make a donation to support the future of public health, please visit vcha.org/vcha-communityhealthcare-scholarship.
About Virginia Community Healthcare Association (VCHA)
Founded in 1980, VCHA is a non-profit membership organization serving as the primary care association for Virginia’s community health centers and look-alike health centers. Its mission is to advocate, educate, and elevate member health centers, enhancing their ability to provide affordable, accessible, quality healthcare to all communities, regardless of ability to pay. For more information, visit www.vcha.org.
About Virginia Community Healthcare Foundation (VCHF)
Established in 2023 in partnership with VCHA, VCHF advances quality and affordability in healthcare through its collaboration with VCHA and support from philanthropic individuals, corporations, and other partners. To learn more, visit vcha.org/foundation
