At St. David’s Foundation, we believe in fostering a vibrant and thriving Central Texas where everyone has an equal opportunity to realize optimal health. We also recognize that good health is linked to a measure of financial security, which reflects our work to develop impactful pathways for students to pursue sustainable and in-demand healthcare careers.
Each year, we offer more than 40 high school seniors from our region the opportunity to advance their educational studies — an opportunity that may not have been otherwise possible without our Neal Kocurek Scholarship Program.
This program, designed for high-achieving students who are interested in pursuing healthcare careers, provides financial, personal, and mentorship support throughout the entire length of students’ higher education journey. Since the scholarship’s inception, over 700 students have received scholarships to study medicine, nursing, physical therapy, biomedical engineering, and other vital health-related disciplines.
We believe it is crucial for individuals from all backgrounds to have access to higher education to help break cycles of poverty and ensure our healthcare professionals reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Increasing diversity of perspective in healthcare strengthens our institutions, fosters innovation, and creates a more equitable society with expanded economic opportunities for all.
That is why our scholars are selected for not only the strength of their academic achievement but also their resilience and determination in overcoming difficult personal challenges and financial hardship. Of this year’s class of 45 scholars, nearly half are first-generation college students. We share in their families’ excitement as these bright young adults begin a new chapter in their lives on college and university campuses across Texas this fall.
Each year, one scholar is selected to receive our Alfred A. King Chairman’s Award, an honor given to a student who the scholarship committee believes exemplifies the highest level of educational values, community awareness, and civic stewardship.
The 2024 recipient of the Alfred A. King Chairman’s Award is Cindy Foka, a graduate of Tom Glenn High School in Leander, Texas, who will be a first-year student at Southwestern University this fall. Cindy is a motivated, compassionate, and resilient young woman with a strong sense of responsibility, academic drive, and work ethic.
She graduated first in her class of nearly 500 students, maintaining a 4.0 GPA while also working part-time to help support her family financially. As the eldest of four children with parents working long hours, she also looked after her siblings, making sure they were completing their homework and getting to bed on time. In addition to these responsibilities, Cindy made time to serve as the secretary of her school’s chapter of HOSA (Future Health Professionals) as well as play on the varsity basketball team.
“I decided that my progress is the progress of my family, and they would be the motivation I needed to excel in whatever I decided to do,” Cindy said. She is truly an exemplary student, and we are excited to help foster her future success.
Cindy and her 44 new program peers now enter a distinguished community of scholars who will encourage and inspire each other as they progress through their college education and beyond.
In early November 2025, the next scholarship application will become available, and we invite high school students who are interested in pursuing healthcare careers to consider applying for this transformative opportunity.
We are extremely proud of this group of students and look forward to cheering on their future success with enormous pride. Please join me in congratulating these exceptional students.
From Bastrop County:
Ashley Ramirez-Torres
Cedar Creek High School
Graciela Lopez
Elgin High School
Graciela Monroy
Cedar Creek High School
Keily Ramirez Acosta
Cedar Creek High School
From Caldwell County:
James Magallanez
Lockhart High School
From Hays County:
Dayannara Cruz
San Marcos High School
Eva Moore
San Marcos High School
Javeryn Gallo
Moe and Gene Johnson High School
From Travis County:
Amy Cao
Pflugerville High School
Ariana Galaviz
Navarro Early College High School
Bryan Castaneda Hernandez
Cedar Creek High School
Daniela Barrera Tirado
Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders
Emily Guzman Ramos
Del Valle High School
Grace Wang
Westwood High School
Janvier Hakizimana
Northeast Early College High School
Jasmin Orozco-Diaz
Austin Achieve High School
Laura Margo
Anderson High School
Liana Armas
Navarro Early College High School
Miyah Madison
Hendrickson High School
Nell Frackowiak
Anderson High School
Reese Whitaker
Vandegrift High School
Ryan Najah
Harmony Science Academy Pflugerville
Samantha Ramos
Hendrickson High School
Shawn Shahmir
Vandegrift High School
Thomas Tieu
Anderson High School
Zinnia Perez
Eastside Early College High School
From Williamson County:
April White
Harmony Science Academy Pflugerville
Ayla Bouzaripour Boeini
Cedar Park High School
Bella Flowers
Georgetown High School
Cindy Foka
Tom Glenn High School
Evelyn Lee
Round Rock High School
Fatimah Mohammed
Cedar Ridge High School
Jocelyn Colorado
Jarrell High School
Keliane Wouappi
Round Rock Early College High School
Matthew Dancel
East View High School
Padma Jaghannaathan
Leander High School
Peace Msengi
Georgetown High School
Reagan Truitt
Georgetown High School
Remi Jobi
Tom Glenn High School
Sahiti Chintarlapalli
McNeil High School
Samia Amor
Stony Point High School
Shejla Cruz
East View High School
Sierra Day
Cedar Ridge High School
Valeria Jimenez
Florence High School
Wayde Sali
Westwood High School