Jose Castillo and Laura Pajar Each Receive $25,000 PacifiCare Freedom Award Scholarship
15 Settembre 2005 - 4:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
* Bicultural, bilingual students dedicated to pursuing careers in
health care and giving back to their communities CYPRESS, Calif.,
Sept. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PacifiCare Health Systems Inc.
(NYSE:PHS) announced that Jose Castillo of Laredo, Texas, and Laura
Pajar of La Puente, Calif., each received a $25,000 scholarship
through the PacifiCare Freedom Award program. The PacifiCare
Freedom Award is a $50,000 grant established by the PacifiCare
Foundation to recognize individuals and organizations that,
according to PacifiCare Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard
Phanstiel, "have demonstrated a commitment to make a positive
difference in our communities." This year, PacifiCare expanded its
Latino Health Scholars program to include -- in addition to the
seventy (70) $2,000 scholarships (*) -- two $25,000 scholarships
for the most outstanding bilingual and bicultural students
dedicated to pursuing careers in health care. "We received an
unprecedented number of applications from students all over the
country for this year's Latino Health Scholars awards, and we were
impressed by not only their intelligence but also the stories they
told about what inspired them to pursue careers in health care,"
said Russell Bennett, PacifiCare's vice president of Latino Health
Solutions. "Most of all we were moved by their desire to serve
their communities once they graduate. We congratulate Jose and
Laura and wish them -- and all our Latino Health Scholars award
winners -- the very best as they pursue their educational and
career goals." Castillo, 18, graduated from Dr. Leo G. Cigarroa
High School and the Dr. Dennis D. Cantu Health Science Magnet
School. During the summers he enrolled in CPR and first aid
certification programs, as well as a science-profession colloquium
at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He
is double-majoring in Biochemistry and Spanish at Duke University
and hopes to become a dentist, specializing in orthodontics.
"Education civilizes, matures and prepares an individual for the
future," he said. "My education will help me communicate fluently
in Spanish and English with my patients and other health
professionals. Furthermore, I will come back to my hometown to work
and help my community where there is a vast gap between the ratio
of patients in need of dental work to dentists/orthodontists, and
where 98 percent of the population is Latino." Pajar, also 18,
graduated from La Puente High School and is majoring in
Biology/Pre-Medicine at UCLA. Her goal is to become a doctor. As a
volunteer at a local hospital, she gained a wealth of experience
assisting doctors and nurses in the emergency room, laboratory and
pediatrics. "This volunteer program helped me grow as a person; I
learned the values of commitment and responsibility," she said. "I
saw the need for Spanish-speaking doctors and nurses, and I myself
sometimes helped with translations. I want to become a doctor so I
can help all Latinos feel comfortable going to see a doctor. Many
Latinos don't see a doctor because they feel they won't be
understood. This is why I feel it is my job to be a doctor so I can
serve all of the Latino communities." PacifiCare has consistently
grown its Latino Health Scholars program since 2003 to educate
students about career opportunities for Hispanics and Latinos in
the health care field. The scholarships are funded by the
PacifiCare Foundation. In order to qualify for a scholarship,
applicants are required to demonstrate a grade point average (GPA)
of 3.0 or better and be fluent in Spanish and English. In addition,
applicants must show proof of acceptance and enrollment into an
approved health care program at a university, community college or
accredited technical college. Since the Latino Health Scholars
program was launched in 2003, PacifiCare has awarded $356,000 in
scholarships to 155 deserving students. About the PacifiCare
Freedom Award The PacifiCare Freedom Award was inspired by the
heroic actions of U.S. Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta who was killed
last November by enemy action in Iraq. Fighting alongside his
fellow marines in Falluja, Peralta, wounded by gunshots, reached
out for a grenade that was hurled by an insurgent and cradled it to
his body to protect others from the blast. His heroism saved the
lives of five of his fellow Marines. Touched by his story and his
ultimate sacrifice, PacifiCare dedicated the inaugural 2005
PacifiCare Freedom Award in honor of Sgt. Peralta. "This year, we
have dedicated the PacifiCare Freedom Award on behalf of Sgt.
Peralta and all of the men and women of the armed forces who have
given their lives to promote freedom and liberty throughout the
world," said Phanstiel. "Through the Latino Health Scholars
program, we were looking for students who share the kinds of
qualities exemplified by Sgt. Peralta and who demonstrate the
values we cherish at PacifiCare to make people's lives better.
"What counts a great deal in life is what we do for others. Sgt.
Peralta's sacrifice will certainly be marked by the lives he saved
and the inspiration he offers to so many. Our contribution is small
by comparison, but in the years ahead will hopefully serve to
ensure this man's outstanding bravery is well remembered." About
PacifiCare PacifiCare Health Systems is one of the nation's largest
consumer health organizations with nearly 3.3 million health plan
members and approximately 11.3 million specialty plan members
nationwide. PacifiCare offers individuals, employers and Medicare
beneficiaries a variety of consumer-driven health care and life
insurance products. Specialty plan operations include behavioral
health, dental and vision, and complete pharmacy benefit management
through its wholly owned subsidiary, Prescription Solutions. More
information on PacifiCare Health Systems is available at
http://www.pacificare.com/. * see accompanying Sept. 14 news
release, "PacifiCare awards $190,000 in scholarships through the
third annual Latino Health Scholars program" DATASOURCE: PacifiCare
Health Systems Inc. CONTACT: Dan Miller, PHS Media Relations,
+1-714-226-3726, Web site: http://www.pacificare.com/
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