Justice High School Scholarship Fund Helps Launch Remarkable Careers: Alumni Serving in the Healthcare Field

Spotlight on Recipients in Healthcare Careers

While recipients of JHSSF scholarships pursue a broad variety of careers, many choose jobs that allow them to serve and strengthen their communities. Our surveys of past recipients indicate many selected college majors that allowed them to accomplish their dreams of entering the healthcare field. Some are involved directly with patient care in medical offices or hospitals. Others have pursued work in global health policy, public health, or research. We are proud of the JHS Scholars who participate in all aspects of the field, making an impact in varied ways. Below are profiles of some of these accomplished JHSSF recipients.

	Hermela, Maternity Care Specialist Hermela was born in Ethiopia, but grew up in Fairfax County. As of January 2023, she joined Children’s National Hospital in Washington D.C as a Maternity Care Specialist in the Developing Brain Institute. There, she works to improve birthing experiences and maternal mental health outcomes in the D.C. area. In prior years, she graduated from Justice High School in 2018 (then called Stuart) with an International Baccalaureate degree. In 2022, she graduated from Franklin and Marshall College with a degree in public health. There she received the Alice Distler award for demonstrating exceptional leadership in volunteer service in the community. Among her many accomplishments, Hermela, as a Center for Disease Control and Prevention scholar, interned at the Henry Ford Health System working on a Nursing Moms project, improving access to lactation spaces throughout the hospital system. She is also a trained birth doula who is committed to advancing maternal health outcomes. In particular, she enjoys working with underserved populations and has worked to empower immigrant communities to thrive. In her volunteer work, Hermela is Director of Operations for Habesha Health, a virtual health platform dedicated to addressing health disparities in the Ethiopian and Eritrean diaspora.
	Sara, Dentist Sara graduated from GMU with Honors in Biology in three years. There she did research at Cox Lab and was a member of the GMU Recognized Student Organizations (RSO) leadership team. She went on to study Dentistry at Boston University. While at BU, she participated in a trip to Mexico to provide free dental care to disadvantaged children. Sarah was awarded a National Health Services Corps (NHSC) scholarship and upon graduation worked in public health for five years providing dental care to underserved communities in Washington, D.C. She is now a practicing dentist in NOVA. She appreciates that dentistry combines her love of science and art as well as her passion for helping people. Sara actively volunteers at a mobile clinic at Alhijrah, a local religious community center and as a Cub Scout den leader.
	Deniz, Critical Care /ICU RN Deniz is proud to be a first-generation college student, and recognizes the many ways that college helped him. He shared that in addition to expanding his interests and knowledge, it boosted his confidence to help him tackle bigger challenges and also provided financial stability. He fulfilled his dream to work in the field of medicine by graduating from George Mason University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with a double minor in Biology and Data Science. He was fortunate to find his fit in Critical Care Nursing, and worked at Medstar Georgetown University hospital before his current position in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus. And his journey in healthcare is just beginning, as he is considering going back to school for additional certifications – or possibly getting into education and teaching. Deniz credits the AVID program with helping prepare him for college, as well as reaching-out to older schoolmates and friends’ siblings for insights and guidance on the college experience.
	Christine, Public Health Program Analyst Christine is the first in her family to attend and graduate from college. Earning a BS degree in Health Science at Marymount University has helped put Christine on a fulfilling career path. She enjoys her experiences meeting new people involved in the various aspects of public health and, more broadly, takes great pleasure in working for the public good. After working for almost three years for the Virginia Department of Health in a range of jobs aimed at minimizing the spread of disease, she now works for the National Association of County and City Health Officials, broadening her skill set and work experiences as a Program Analyst on the environmental health team supporting vector control projects. One aspect of this work is a collaborative mentorship program that is supporting local health departments to strengthen their programs to prevent and reduce mosquitos and ticks. As she looks ahead, Christine would like to see and contribute to greater public awareness of the need for public health programs. Meanwhile, whether in college or now working, Christine volunteers in her community in various ways.
	Maria, Community Healthcare Worker Since graduating from George Mason University with a Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration and a concentration in Health Systems Management, Maria has enjoyed progressing through a variety of meaningful opportunities in the Inova Health System. She started as a Unit Secretary at Fairfax Hospital and then cross-trained as a Clinical Technician, which led to a job in a clinic for a couple years. From there she earned a promotion to her current position of Community Healthcare Worker, a role that she savors as yet another opportunity to serve the community and help others. In that position, she makes patients aware of the available resources and how to access them, providing critical support for non-native speakers of English to navigate the healthcare system to identify the particular medical specialists they need, and to apply for financial assistance. She credits the JHS Scholarship Fund with helping her cover the cost of her education, and acknowledges that without the scholarship she would not have been able to attend a 4-year university. She also credits keeping a positive mindset throughout her journey, while in high school, college, and working; and she encourages current students pursuing the healthcare field to continue to work hard, and your goals can be achieved.
	Kristine, Laboratory and Epidemiology Coordinator Kristine, a first-generation college student, graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Microbiology. While at Virginia Tech, she worked part-time as a peer mentor for freshman and as a lab assistant. She felt well prepared for her college studies by the IB Diploma program. She then completed a Masters degree in Global Health at George Mason University. Kristine works as a laboratory and epidemiology coordinator for the DC Department of Forensic Sciences. She was selected to be in the Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health (DELPH) Program. This program was designed to enhance the capacity and strengthen the networks of mid-to senior-level governmental public health professionals from identity groups under-represented in public health leadership.

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