“My mother was a special soul when it came to the impact she had on the hospital and her patients,” Beena Parikh, Ph.D., said. “I remember as a child constantly being regaled by all of the stories. She was a labor and delivery nurse, so it was I think a special calling for her, and she definitely loved every moment of what she did.”
Beena Parikh, along with her husband, Amish Parikh, M.D., established the Alice Sebastian Memorial Endowed Scholarship for Nursing in honor of Beena Parikh’s late mother, who passed away when she was only 56 years old. The scholarship is awarded to a student entering the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) program at NSU’s Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing.
Originally from India, Alice Sebastian was a bit of a rebel. The eldest of eight siblings, she insisted that she wanted to get an education before she got married—unheard of for a 30-year-old woman in India. Even though her mother thought she was crazy, her father fully supported her desires. Alice decided to go to nursing school.
After she completed her education, Alice did get married and had a family. In the 1970s, America was dealing with a nursing shortage, and Alice was highly sought after because of her profession and the fact that she spoke English. The family was given green cards and visas to come to the United States.
“Forty years ago, nursing provided our family with opportunities,” Beena said. “I think that still rings true for young men and women who want to go into this field.”
Learning from her mother’s example of the importance of education, Beena earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from NSU and now serves as a member of the Orlando Campus Advisory Board. She and her husband are now the driving force behind Premier Cardiology & Vascular Associates in Orlando, Florida. Beena Parikh serves as the practice administrator, and Amish Parikh is a cardiologist.
“My mother-in-law was very dear to me and taken away at a very, very young age,” Amish said. “It’s great to be able to keep some of her passions alive. I’m really proud to be able to have this way to memorialize my mom for all of eternity and give someone the chance to do something she was able to do. I hope the scholarship can bring opportunity to their lives, as well as care and joy to other people’s lives, too.”
Kiannah Bonilla is the first recipient of the Alice Sebastian Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Now in her second year at the Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing, Kiannah was intrigued by the medical field at a young age. During high school, she had the opportunity to volunteer at an emergency room, and her interest in the field of nursing was piqued.
“I saw the nurses doing their jobs, and I could see myself doing that for the rest of my life,” Kiannah said. “I want to make a difference in my patients’ lives and in my family’s life.” Kiannah is a first-generation college student, originally from Florida. NSU was the first college tour she took when looking at nursing schools, and she immediately fell in love with the school. “The nursing students were saying how prepared they felt when taking tests and when first getting to their jobs,” she said. “The professors were amazing.”
Now that she is finally able to attend classes in person—her first semesters were online due to COVID-19—Kiannah is even more appreciative of the college and the attention her professors provide. Whether they are offering help understanding concepts or in preparing for exams, the Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing professors are willing to meet with students one-on-one to help them reach their goals.
Kiannah plans to finish her B.S.N. degree and apply for a nurse practitioner program. She is interested in women’s health, and particularly in labor and delivery—a tribute to the woman for whom her scholarship is named.
“Thank you to Drs. Parikh for establishing this scholarship honoring your mother’s legacy and helping students like me to accomplish our goals,” Kiannah said. “Your kindness and consideration are greatly appreciated.”
For more information on how to support the NSU Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing, please contact Shari Meehan, director of development for NSU University Advancement, at (954) 643-3978 or via email at smeehan@nova.edu.