American Heart Association and CareSource honor 5 HBCU students to combat racial inequality

DAYTON — The American Heart Association and CareSource have teamed up to mentor five undergraduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the greater Dayton area. These students will receive mentoring, professional development, and financial stipends as they continue to pursue careers in healthcare or scientific research.

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This partnership attempts to address the racial disparity in the healthcare industry.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges and the United States Office of Minority Health, fewer than six percent of all physicians are African American.

Evidence postulates that the lack of diversity results in “patients of color [experiencing] uncomfortable interactions and communication barriers with their healthcare providers as a consequence of implicit and unconscious bias among physicians and other healthcare professionals,” a spokesperson informed News Center 7.

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“CareSource knows representation is an important component of improving health equity for people in excluded or marginalized groups,” said Jenny Michael, senior vice president of advocacy, marketing and communication at CareSource.

She hopes this partnership helps build “a knowledge base and legacy of care critical to ending racial disparities in health care.”

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This year’s scholars are:

Tanzania Covington

Covington is a senior chemistry major who attends Central State University.

She is native to Berkley, IL.

During her time in college, she achieved Dean’s Lists Scholar and got accepted to Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society.

Covington is also a part of Central State University Marching Band, Campus Chapter member of NAACP, and Minority Association of Pre-Medical studies.

The honoree desires to have her own private practice to meet cultural and linguistic needs of those in underprivileged communities, the spokesperson stated.

Her mentor is Hongmei Ren, PhD, an associate professor at Wright State University for the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology.

Lavano Sands

Sands is a senior chemistry major, attending Central State University.

He is a native of Nassau, Bahamas.

Sands is a President’s and Dean’s List Scholar.

Sands also participated in his college’s track and field team as a student athlete. He is also a Pirate ambassador, a member of the International Student Organization, and a Minority Association of Premedical student. He is also associated with Family Community & Leadership in Action.

His mentor is Clintoria Williams, PhD, an associate Professor at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology. Williams is also the director for Small Animal Physiology (SAP) Core.

Jada Burns

Burns is a senior health services and administration major who attends Wilberforce University.

She is native to Cincinnati, OH.

In college, she achieved President’s List Scholar.

Burns was a student athlete on the university’s golf team.

Burns hopes to utilize the mentorship program to “get herself acquainted with healthcare research and drive her future career forward,” the spokesperson informed News Center 7.

Her mentor is Eric S. Bennett, PhD, a professor at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology. He is also an associate dean for the Medical Education Pre-Clerkship Curriculum.

Aaron Whiteside

Whiteside is a sophomore exercise science major who attends Central State University.

He is native to Columbus, OH.

He attends Honors college at the university and is a Dean’s List Scholar. He is also the recipient of the Residential Advisor and TRiO Scholarship.

Aaron hopes to use this opportunity to expand his skillset to prepare him for his next steps, the spokesperson said.

His mentor is Clintoria Williams, PhD, an associate Professor at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology. Williams is also the director for Small Animal Physiology (SAP) Core.

Evon Arnold

Arnold is a sophomore biology major at Central State University.

She is native to Columbus, OH.

Arnold is a part of the university’s honor society and a CESTA Honors student.

She is currently learning sign language and one day aspires to be an audiologist, the spokesperson told the news team.

Her mentor is Khalid Elased, Pharm.D., PhD, a professor at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

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