The PA Foundation recognized three 2024 NCCPA Endowed Scholarship recipients for their dedication to the profession and commitment to health-related community service.

This year’s recipients are Thi Tran from the University of Nevada, Reno; Ginikachukwu Mgbenka from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Alexis Newton from the USC Keck School of Medicine.

Thi Tran: Paving her Path
Tran, a second-year PA student, is set to graduate next summer. As a first-generation student, Tran sees the scholarship as a significant financial relief that will allow her to focus on her studies.

“Receiving this scholarship means the world to me,” Tran said. “As a first-generation student, it lifts a huge financial weight off my shoulders, allowing me to focus on my studies and pursue my dream of becoming a PA.”

Tran is involved in various activities, including being a member of the ultrasound team, which placed third at the AAPA 2024 Conference. She also serves as class historian and volunteers at a student outreach clinic and St. Vincent’s Dining Room. Motivated by her immigrant parents’ emphasis on education, Tran aims to provide compassionate care to her patients.

“What excites me about a future as a PA is the opportunity to utilize my training and my cultural background as an Asian-American to bridge health care access gaps,” Tran said. “I envision myself empathizing with patients and improving their care by drawing on my unique experiences.”

Ginikachukwu Mgbenka: Advocate for Change
Mgbenka, a first-year PA student, will graduate in December 2025. Hailing from Bowie, Maryland, she is passionate about raising awareness of the PA profession.

“This [scholarship] aligns perfectly with my hopes for underrepresented minorities to have the necessary resources to increase their presence in the PA profession,” Mgbenka said.

Her recent activities include meeting with staffers of Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Steny Hoyer to advocate for increased funding for health workforce development programs, especially at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Mgbenka’s decision to become a PA was influenced by her experiences shadowing an orthopedic surgeon and recognizing the need for accessible health care.

“I realized that not only do I want to be on the end of providers promoting patient health in a manner that is sensitive, culturally informed and effective, I also want the gift of lateral mobility which exists within the profession,” Mgbenka said.

Alexis Newton: Serving Underrepresented Communities
Newton is set to graduate in May 2026. She is deeply involved in community service, including volunteering with local organizations to create care kits for Los Angeles’s unhoused population and participating in USC’s Street Medicine program.

“Being a PA gives me the opportunity to blend clinical expertise with a genuine passion for community advocacy, compassionate patient care and health equity,” Newton said.

As an African American woman and first-generation college graduate, Newton said she’s committed to addressing systemic inequities in health care and serving as an advocate for underserved communities.

“I have personally experienced and witnessed the barriers that historically marginalized and economically disadvantaged individuals face in accessing quality health care and pursuing education,” Newton said. “These experiences have fueled my commitment to advocate for equitable representation and support within the medical field.”

The three NCCPA Endowment recipients were among 44 PA students awarded scholarships through the 2024 cycle. For a complete list, click here.