University Health Foundation is proud to play a key role in supporting our team members and their families grow and excel in both their academic journeys and professional careers, all thanks to generous donors like you.

Now in its 18th year, University Health Foundation’s Our Sons and Daughters (OSD) scholarship program has awarded 177 recipients, totaling more $200,000 in support of the sons and daughters of our University Health team members.

Naturally, over the years, that support has led to some extraordinary success stories. Recently, a past scholarship recipient shared her story and serves as a reminder as to why investments like the OSD scholarship matter deeply to the next generation­ –– both here in San Antonio and across the nation.

We’d like to introduce you to Brianna Scott.

In 2015, Brianna was a high school senior preparing to graduate from James Madison High School in San Antonio. That same year, she received an OSD scholarship. For Brianna, the scholarship represented a chance to pursue higher education without the overwhelming financial burden for both her and her mother. At that time, Brianna’s mother, Karen Rochester, a team member in University Health’s Integrity & Regulatory Services department, was courageously battling breast cancer as a single parent.

“The scholarship gave me the freedom to focus on my goals and the confidence to believe that my dreams were not only possible, but worth pursuing,” Brianna said. “It was more than support — it was an opportunity that affirmed my potential and my path.”

Today, Dr. Brianna Scott holds a Doctorate in Public Health, with a concentration in Health Education and Epidemiology. She also earned a Bachelor of Science from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Master of Public Health from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Brianna now serves as the manager of epidemiology and infectious disease control at Scripps Health in San Diego.

Looking ahead, her goal is to give back to the community that supported her by paving the way for others who come from similar backgrounds and share similar dreams. Through volunteering, mentoring aspiring students and offering guidance and encouragement, she hopes to be a source of inspiration and support.

“I also look forward to giving back financially, both to my community and to the University Health Foundation, so that others may have the same life-changing opportunities I was given,” Brianna said.

Some may see $1,000 as a small contribution, but for Brianna, as a minority woman raised by a resilient single mother, every penny was a source of empowerment. It helped her rise above adversity and reach her highest aspirations of becoming a doctor.

With a bright future of healing and service ahead, Brianna had a few words of encouragement for future OSD applicants and recipients:

“University Health Foundation genuinely cares about you, your future and the well-being of the community — they want to see you succeed,” Brianna said. “Have the courage to apply, believe in your potential and don’t hesitate to lean on the support and resources they so generously offer.”

If you would like to learn more about our scholarship programs or how you can make an impact on advancing excellence at University Health, visit our website or make a donation online to our various scholarship funds.

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