Josephine Nyakundi was announced as the recipient of the 2026 BeST Scholarship during the College of Allied Health Sciences White Coat Ceremony for physician assistants at Augusta University on Apr. 9.
The scholarship, created by Ron Sanders Jr. in 2022, aims to support underrepresented students in the didactic phase of their physician assistant education by covering full tuition costs. The award is named after Sanders’ three mentors: Eugene Beverly, Judith Stallings, and Ben Taylor.
Nyakundi said she was overwhelmed when she learned about her selection. “At first, I wasn’t sure who they were talking about. They mentioned some things that I was in and it started to hit me,” Nyakundi said. “When I finally knew it was me, my heart skipped a beat. I could not believe it. I immediately started sobbing because it was surreal.” Her family watched the event online from Kenya.
Alicia Elam has served as Nyakundi’s advisor throughout her academic journey and praised her achievements and character. “Resilience, service, leadership and a commitment to underserved communities. Her academic performance is strong, but what truly sets her apart is how she applies her experiences to uplift others,” Elam said.
Sanders has regularly returned to Augusta University to speak with future physician assistant students since co-founding Viral Solutions in Atlanta during the COVID-19 testing crisis in Georgia.
Nyakundi reflected on how receiving this scholarship will relieve financial stress associated with tuition costs and allow her greater focus on academics and professional development. “Your whole life revolves around how much money you take out and how much money you’re going to get back, but this is just transformative money,” she said.
Elam believes that removing financial barriers will allow Nyakundi to fully engage with her training: “Given her work ethic and drive, I have no doubt that she will use this opportunity to further excel… More importantly, it will allow her to be fully present in her training, which ultimately benefits not only her but the patients and communities she will go on to serve.”
