Endowed Scholarship Donors

The 1:6:3 Scholarship is named to point to the text in Matthew (the 1st book of the New Testament), chapter 6, verse 3, which says: “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself.” The Message Bible In this name is an invitation, both for participating donors and for scholarship recipients. For the donors, participation in this fund will be anonymous. For the students who are awarded this scholarship, the current donors invite you to, someday, do something to honor the Scripture for which this fund is named. Your “something for someone else” may or may not be money, but when you finish your studies here at Adventist University and you become a successful member of your profession, they invite you to find a way to do something for someone else without calling attention to yourself.

The AHU Alumni Advisory Board established this fund in 2021 to help AHU students develop into influential professionals of uncommon compassion, succeed in careers of purpose, and extend the healing ministry of Christ.

The Thomas and Diane Andrews Nurse Anesthesia Project Award was established to continue the Andrews’ long-standing support of the University, especially in the area of nurse anesthesia. Thomas Andrews MD has been involved with the clinical education of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) since the inception of the program at AHU. Diane Andrews PhD, RN has been a founding trustee and member of the University Foundation Board. The Founders wish to continue their partnership with the University in its mission to prepare caring, service-oriented CRNA professionals. The Founders’ intent is to provide this Fund as a perpetual endowment to help highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students design and complete special and more demanding scholarly work than possible without financial support.

The Dr. Matilda Barker Memorial Scholarship was created by Dr Barker’s husband, Linbrook Barker, MD, and three children Matef Harmachis, JD, MEd; Lori Barker, PhD; and Sandra Dunbar-Smalley, DPA, OTR/L; and their spouses. The Barker Family chose to establish this scholarship fund at the University to continue the legacy of Dr Barker who valued education and encouraged students in word and deed.

We will never know the number of students that Dr. Barker supported by paying tuition and rent, by buying books and education supplies, by supplying clothing and groceries, or with an understanding ear and an inspiring assurance; whether quietly behind the scenes or through public organizational work. But we do know that her commitment to education went beyond the classroom. Beginning on the Caribbean island of Barbados before emigrating to the United States, Dr. Barker taught every level from elementary through graduate school in her many decades as teacher, nurse and professor.

The Founders’ intent is to provide a scholarship to benefit highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified occupational therapy students’ success in becoming professionals who live the healing values of Christ in the tradition of Dr. Matilda Barker.

Helen Ann Beam was an Orange County Florida resident who was also a patient at AdventHealth (formerly Florida Hospital). She was impressed by the nursing care and appreciated the importance of nursing education that not only focused on the knowledge for the physical care, but also the spiritual and intellectual care of a patient. She arranged to establish this endowed scholarship from her estate so that worthy nursing students at AdventHealth University could be given assistance on their path to graduation.

The founder chose to establish this scholarship fund at the University to help attract black, indigenous, people of color as students. The fund affirms the powerful potential of all people to achieve personal, academic, and professional excellence despite historical societal constraints and persistent systemic barriers to success. The founder seeks to support the University in its vision to develop enlightened, merciful, just, and influential professionals of uncommon compassion.

This scholarship was established to honor Shirley Bordner by her son, Chris. He chose to create this scholarship at the University to continue the legacy of Shirley Bordner who believed in the power of education.

The donor has chosen to establish this scholarship fund at the University to provide for education for healthcare professionals who major in Diagnostic Medical Imaging. The founder wishes to partner with the University in its mission to prepare caring, service-oriented leaders who practice healthcare as ministry by providing a perpetual endowment to benefit highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students succeed.

This scholarship honors the memory of Paula Curren, devoted mother to Donna and Deborah and wife to Bob. Paula’s courageous battle with cancer came to an end in 1992 in Candler, NC. Because of that loss, the family has a strong empathy for those who have lost loved ones to illness. Bob Curren has spent virtually his entire professional career working in Adventist education at academies and most recently, Adventist University of Health Sciences. This experience has given him a high appreciation for the benefits of outstanding education. He has also seen the struggles that students face and established this scholarship to help students succeed.

The Dixon family established this endowment fund at the University to provide annual revenue to support the operations of the Hope Clinic. The Founders wish to partner with the University in its mission to prepare caring, service-oriented leaders for healthcare professions who benefit by having a multidisciplinary clinical experience. The Founders also intend to provide support for therapy and healthcare services for underinsured and uninsured patients.

Vivian Esch was a thoughtful lady who came to Florida from Maine, living first in Clearwater and then in Orlando. She valued education and appreciated the work of compassionate nurses. She designated a portion of her estate to be invested for a scholarship to provide assistance to nurses the University.

Rhonda Facundus was the beloved daughter of Dr. Jack and Mrs. Elsie Facundus. An extraordinarily dedicated nurse, Rhonda seemed born to nurture. As her grandmother’s primary caregiver for seven years, she saw firsthand the opportunity to serve older patients with quality healthcare. As a gerontological nurse practitioner, Rhonda founded a consulting firm to help hospitals provide better care to elderly patients without increasing costs. After Rhonda succumbed to cancer at age 38, this fund was created in memory of her immense capacity of caring especially for geriatric patients, fiery determination, and uncommon compassion.

The Florida Hospital Credit Union has been serving the employees of Florida Hospital since 1955. It has over 8,000 customers with branch locations throughout the Florida Hospital system.

The FH Credit Union, in an effort to support its many members, chose to endow this scholarship to the University in 1999. This scholarship is awarded to an academically qualified student that is a Florida Hospital employee or a dependent of a Florida Hospital employee.

Scholarship founders Richard E. McFadyen and Marcio Forléo established this scholarship fund at the University to honor the legacy of Laura M. Forléo. After a successful banking career in Brazil, Laura earned her nursing degree in April 2000 from Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, now AdventHealth University. She went on to serve for 20 years in various nursing positions at Florida Hospital, now AdventHealth. Born in the Brazilian city of Juiz de Fora, Ms. Forléo was a great blessing to her family, colleagues, patients, and friends in both Brazil and the United States. The Founders wish to partner with the University in its mission to prepare caring, service-oriented leaders for healthcare professions. The Founders established this Fund as a perpetual endowment to help highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students from Brazil and Latin America succeed and contribute to society as nursing professionals who practice healthcare as a ministry.

As the Founder reflected on a life that has been good to him, he chose to establish the Giving Back to Healthcare Students in Need Scholarship. He invites others from all walks of life and educational backgrounds, including University alumni, who have benefitted from a life-time of receiving to also give back.

Donors to the Giving Back to Healthcare Students in Need Scholarship join the Founder to affirm the value of their education and its contribution to improving their lives and their community. They also desire that students do not have to interrupt their education due to lack of funds.

The Founder and donors wish to partner with the University in its mission to prepare caring, service-oriented leaders for healthcare professions. The Founder’s and donors’ intent is to provide this Fund as a perpetual endowment to help highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students who have financial need succeed and contribute to society as healthcare professionals who practice healthcare as ministry.

Gould Family Faculty Development Scholarship Fund is named in honor of the Gould Family and their generosity to the University. The Goulds have chosen to establish this scholarship fund at the University because they believe in ensuring that faculty have the best educational and research opportunities available and they wish to partner with the University in its mission to prepare caring, service-oriented leaders for the nursing profession. The Goulds intend to provide this Fund as a perpetual endowment to benefit highly motivated, academically qualified nursing faculty who demonstrate excellence in the teaching profession, are committed to teaching in Orlando and who desire additional qualifications such as graduate degrees, specialty licensures and certifications, and post graduate scholarship opportunities.

William J. Green enlisted in the Navy in 1939 and served for 39 years in the field of health care. He advanced through all enlisted ranks and received a commission as Ensign, Medical Service Corps, USN in 1952 and after progressing through officer ranks, was promoted to Captain in 1972.

His life-long dedication to the health care profession led his estate to establish this scholarship to honor Captain Green and his wife.

James Hartman chose to establish this scholarship fund at the University to encourage students to take advantage of the benefits of a formal educational experience after high school. Although he continues to have a successful career in business, his achievements resulted from hard, persistent work and experiential learning in the marketplace rather than focused practice informed by the disciplined world of academia.

Mr. Hartman realizes that there are students who could benefit from the opportunities at the University and would not be able to attend unless they have financial assistance. So he wishes to partner with the University to provide this Fund as a perpetual endowment to help highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students succeed and contribute to society as healthcare professionals who practice healthcare as ministry.

This scholarship was established to honor Alba Luz Santiago Hernández. Alba was a caring mother, and after her children were educated, she went back to school and became a nurse. She valued education highly. In addition to ensuring that her own children were educated and encouraged, she helped many others obtain an education. Alba’s son, Edwin, and daughter-in-law, Magaly, were both beneficiaries of Alba’s encouragement and completed graduate degrees. They have provided this scholarship at AHU as a perpetual endowment to help highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified nursing students to succeed and contribute to society as healthcare professionals who live the healing values of Christ.

Upon the 2019 retirement of longtime AHU Board Chair Lars Houmann, AdventHealth University established the Julie and Lars Houmann Endowment for AHU to provide the transformative experience of global mission work to help students deepen their faith, broaden their vision, enrich their understanding, and develop uncommon compassion. Initial gifts to the fund, commemorating Houmann’s decades of service to AHU, topped $6,000 in 2019. Julie and Lars Houmann added to the fund in 2020.

The founder of this scholarship wishes to partner with the University in its mission to prepare caring, service-oriented leaders for healthcare professions. He wanted to provide this scholarship as a perpetual endowment to benefit highly motivated, dedicated, health conscious, and academically qualified students succeed and contribute to society as healthcare professionals. His focus on health preservation honors the memory of his mother Bonnie J. Keena.

Susan Kintner was born and raised in Missouri, moving to Florida in 1987. Ms. Kintner immediately began working as a nurse at Florida Hospital. She graduated from Adventist University of Health Sciences with a baccalaureate degree in nursing and created the scholarship fund that bears her name in 2005.

She often credits the caring and competent nursing department faculty for helping her become a successful nurse. She particularly remembers Dusanka Hristic, Rilla Taylor, and Carolyn Peterson. Ms. Kintner states, “They gave me a whole new perspective on nursing. They were mentors to me that I’ll never forget.”

The Founders have chosen to establish this scholarship fund at the University to honor the memory of Seth Kite who was born October 6, 2013. Beside his crib his parents, Jeff and Tiffany, hung a graphic of waves with the scripture found in Isaiah 43:2 written on it. They placed it there with the desire that Seth would come to know the God who would never leave his side.

Seth died January 9, 2014, and his parents found that the scripture that was intended to be a promise to their son has been God’s promise to them. God does not always spare us from suffering, but He always walks alongside us through it and uses it to mold our hearts to resemble His. Jeff and Tiffany have found that the path to healing and restoration looks like living a life that focuses on others and celebrates God’s mercies in each step of the journey.

God has used difficulty to bring the Kites’ hearts closer to God, and through the Kites, God has reached and touched the hearts of many. It is the desire that this scholarship is used as a tool for the Lord to use as He continues to tell the story, through all of our lives, of how He makes broken things brand new.

The Founders’ intent is to provide this Fund as a perpetual endowment to benefit highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified graduate students in either Occupational or Physical Therapy programs succeed and contribute to society as healthcare professionals who practice healthcare as ministry.

The Founders have chosen this scholarship at the University in honor of parents who were not people of means, and who sacrificed much to provide a Christian education through nursing school. God blessed them and provided opportunity for the father to work two jobs during that time. The Founders hope to ease the burdens of families working hard to give their children the foundation of a Christian education, both for serving others and for earning a valuable degree that leads to multiple employment opportunities at graduation and throughout their career.

The Londoños established the scholarship fund as a demonstration of their belief in the potential, promise, and power of students of color (including African American, Latino American, and Asian American) to overcome societal and structural limitations and achieve their highest goals. The founders wish to partner with the University in its mission to prepare enlightened, ethical, equity-oriented leaders for healthcare, administrative, and academic professions. The founders intend to provide this fund as a perpetual endowment to help highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students succeed and contribute to society as influential professionals of uncommon compassion.

This scholarship was created in memory of Marilyn Lounsberry, and her children, Frank and Signa Lounsberry, to benefit students on the Adventist University of Health Sciences’ Denver campus. Marilyn, Frank, and Signa frequently visited Colorado and loved to hike and experience the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. They were also passionate about education. Marilyn achieved her undergraduate degree in elementary education after her children were grown. Both Frank and Signa achieved master’s degrees. They and their family members realize the value of faith-based, Christ-centered healthcare professionals and want to help students achieve their goals. This scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in one of the professional programs at ADU Denver.

The Founder has chosen to establish this scholarship fund at the University to honor the legacy of Patricia Schelle McKendall, who lived a life of devotion to her beloved family, dedication to her pediatric patients, and service to families of hospitalized children. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She was a model of uncommon compassion
and unparalleled excellence, a role model for future generations of nurses. The Founder wishes to partner with the University in its mission to prepare caring, service-oriented nurses and nursing leaders. The Founder intends to provide this Fund as a perpetual endowment to help highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students succeed and contribute to society as nurses who practice healthcare as ministry.

Adventist University of Health Sciences is an ideal location for the Mixon Family Scholarship. The founders, Lonnie and Penny Mixon, have a real appreciation for the value of education and the significant investment required to obtain a degree in nuclear medicine technology. They also wanted to honor the many members of their family who have served in Adventist healthcare and wellness education. Lonnie obtained his CNMT licensure while working for Florida Hospital and knows first-hand how challenging the nuclear medicine curriculum can be, especially while trying to balance studies with full-time work. He succeeded with the support of his wife Penny and the generosity of a nuclear medicine physician sponsor.

The Founder has chosen to establish this perpetual endowment at the University so that students who have completed their course of study can take their professional credential (license, certification or board) examinations, necessary for employment at the ideal time in their program, typically just before or after graduation. The Founder realizes that some students are caught between completion of a degree and employment due to financial constraints. An award would enable these highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students to transition to successful, caring, service-oriented healthcare professionals who practice healthcare as ministry, support themselves and their families and contribute to society.

The Founder, George Parker chose to establish this scholarship fund at AdventHealth University to continue the legacy of his parents James and Latherine Parker. Both George’s father and mother had degrees and planted the seeds of the importance of education in his mind. His mother, Latherine was an elementary and high school teacher as well as a principal in Georgia. His father retired as an engineer and a Chief Petty Officer from the U.S. Navy. The Founder’s intent is to provide this Fund as a perpetual endowment to benefit highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students succeed especially in the fields of science and math and contribute to society as professionals.

The Founder chose to establish this scholarship fund at the University as he believes that completing an educational program has similarities to a long race, such as a marathon. Many students are within sight of their degree, but need a boost to complete it.

The Founder’s intent is to provide this scholarship to help highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students in the last year or trimester of their program to allow them to complete their courses and contribute to society as healthcare professionals who practice healthcare as ministry.

Jan Walker established this scholarship fund at the University to continue the legacy of her mother, Jean Riley. Jean had a keen mind, age-defying computer skills, and drove until she was nearly 95 years old. Although she did not complete a college degree, she was a prolific reader who supported and encouraged many students in their educational journey, including her husband. With gifts of books about healthy eating, Jean often blessed friends and strangers alike who were experiencing cancer or other health issues. She said it was her mission to help others in that way. Jean also supported whole-person care, personally delivering healthy groceries (exclusively vegan!) to the food pantry at AdventHealth University several times a month for students in need of extra help. The Founder intends to provide this Fund as a perpetual endowment to help highly motivated, dedicated, academically qualified students succeed and eventually contribute to society as professionals who live the healing values of Christ, as Jean did throughout her life.

Carolyn and Sy Saliba, as well as their children, understand the challenges faced by students who have to work their way through school, particularly without financial support from parents or family. They chose to establish this scholarship so highly motivated, dedicated, hard-working students succeed.

Their long and close associations with and belief in the mission of Adventist University of Health Sciences made this the logical location for the scholarship.

Milca Soler is a graduate of the Atlantic Union College nursing program. She began her career as a Med-Surg nurse at Fitchburg Memorial Hospital in Massachusetts. Mrs. Soler has also worked at Florida Hospital Altamonte as a Med-Surg nurse and a case worker. After a short break, she returned to the work force not as a nurse, but as an educator, tutoring student at the Adventist University Center for Academic Achievement where she taught and mentored many, many students.

Eddie Soler received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southern Adventist University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Currently Mr. Soler is Executive Vice President of Finance for AdventHealth. Mr. and Mrs. Soler recognize the incredible benefit their respective degrees have brought them and want to help others enjoy the same sense of accomplishment and success.

Created in honor of AdventHealth executive and leader and AHU Trustee Emeritus Tom Werner, this endowed fund provides scholarship awards for students pursuing the Master of Science in Spiritual Care degree at AHU. The MSSC degree equips chaplains for career growth in their chosen field of spiritual care and service. As president and chief executive officer of Adventist Health System from 1999 to 2006, and president and CEO of Florida Hospital from 1984 to 1999, Thomas Werner was instrumental in the growth and development of AHU.

This scholarship is in memory of Trent Tindell, a husband, father, and son. When he passed away in 2001 after a long illness, his parents, Bob and Sandy Tindell, chose to honor his memory with a scholarship at AdventHealth University.

The Trent Tindell Scholarship is a way, in which Trent’s legacy of giving to others can be continued, especially to those committed to work in the field in which he excelled and loved radiology.

The Founders have chosen to establish this scholarship fund at the University to honor the memory of Rhonda’s parents Norman and Louise Weekley, Craig’s father, Leroy Townsend and the life of Craig’s mother, Joy Townsend.

Ms. Tremml was a rising executive in the Orlando banking industry when her son, Wil was born. Though married with a very stable home life, Ms. Tremml realized how difficult it would be to go to school while raising a child and thus chose to establish this scholarship to help such students at the University succeed.

Ms. Tremml is a practicing artist with an art studio in Vero Beach and continues to lead philanthropic endeavors that make the world a better place in which to live.

The Founder has chosen to establish this scholarship fund at the University in honor of his mother who went to school as an adult to become a nurse. The Founder recognizes that education is important to living a life of meaning and success and would like to provide a scholarship for students who might not otherwise be able to take the nursing course and graduate.

The Weniger Society was established to preserve and project the qualities of inspiration, motivation and excellence that were paramount in the life and service of Charles Elliott Weniger. Each year the Weniger Award is presented to individuals who exhibit perennial servanthood and have consistently demonstrated those ideals that were always prominent in the compassionate demeanor of Dr. Weniger.

The Weniger Fellow Scholarship was established in 2014 to inspire students to: create and promote an awareness of Dr. Weniger and the qualities that he stood so passionately for and more fully commit to a lifetime of excellence and service within the church, their community, and the world. It is given to students who have been nominated by their college or university for their outstanding character and scholastic achievements.