How our Power of We Scholarship is helping address health equity

Originally published in The Tennessean, October 2024

Sigmus Aimofumhe is an undergraduate student at Fisk University studying biochemistry. That's a long way from his childhood, where many nights were spent wondering where his next meal would come from. But those challenges strengthened his resolve and ambition. Unlike many undergrads, Sigmus has a clear vision of his next step: He wants to study cardiology at Meharry Medical College and give back in a meaningful way to those in need of health care most, no matter who they are and what they can afford.

His experience has given him unique insight into the lack of opportunities that result from lower economic status.

He hopes to start a nonprofit right here in Tennessee tailored to those lacking healthy food options because he believes diet is a cornerstone of good health.

Though Sigmus has charted a course for himself, he still faces student loans that will weigh heavily and divert his focus from the education he needs to be able to care for others. This scenario is common for so many students, and we all pay the price in the form of greater health disparities.

The goal is to help build Tennessee's health care workforce

To help build Tennessee's health care workforce, BlueCross introduced its Power of We Health Equity Scholarship in 2013. For the past several years the company has awarded six Tennessee students pursuing health care careers with $10,000 each. These students already have a proven track record of academic success, and we're honored to recognize Sigmus as one of this year's scholars.

His story and personal experience with health inequities are just part of the reason why he's an ideal candidate.

He's also been actively involved as a representative with the student government council at Fisk, and is part of the university's neuroscience club. Not only will this scholarship be immediately life-changing for him, he'll be able to build momentum toward his goal of serving others.

The BlueCross Power of We Scholarship is designed to support any student who is driven, community-focused and passionate about health equity - and who will work to improve access to care here in Tennessee. In fact, one important factor for evaluating candidates was assessing their commitment to addressing health disparities.

This year, to enhance the program's impact, we opened the application to graduate students. We want to accelerate progress toward closing gaps in care, and students about to enter the health care workforce need support, in addition to those who are just starting out.

Another exciting addition this year was our collaboration with our data information team. They created an index that demonstrated health provider shortages in different areas of the state.

We compared the ZIP codes of the applicants to under resourced areas and considered what parts of the state students planned to serve once they graduated.

We're also implementing ways to better support our Power of We scholars in the long term. We extend invites for our annual Power of We Conference in Nashville to provide networking, camaraderie and learning opportunities.

Tennessee is an incredibly eclectic state - the regions are different, as are the health needs from one population to the next. The common thread shared by our Power of We scholars is their dedication to serving their neighbors and having a positive impact on health and wellness in Tennessee. With these scholarships, our support of their efforts is a much-needed step in the journey of making sure every person in our state has the opportunity and available means to pursue better health.

We can't wait to see what Sigmus and the rest of his student cohort do next. Because ultimately, their efforts, their focus, and their commitment will improve the lives of countless others.

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