SMNA Scholarship Gala a Resounding Success

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Student National Medical Association (SNMA) hosted a scholarship gala, “A Celebration of Cultures” on Dec. 5 at the Texas Tech Club. The banquet raised more than $34,500, eclipsing last year’s mark of about $32,000. The funds raised go directly towards financial need-based scholarships for TTUHSC School of Medicine students as well as building an endowment fund.

This scholarship gala was a celebration of food, drinks and entertainment with respect to a variety of cultures. The event featured a seated dinner, silent and live auctions, photo booth and entertainment performances.

SNMA event organizer and medical student Kenneth Iwuji said the TTUHSC SNMA chapter is dedicated to community service, promoting cultural awareness and sensitivity within the medical school and the Lubbock community.

“I can’t thank everyone enough,” Iwuji said. “What made this scholarship gala so much fun is not necessarily the amount of money we made, or our ability to bring more than 225 important TTUHSC personnel under a single roof, rather our ability to work as a team.”

The TTUHSC School of Medicine chapter of SNMA participates in various projects, including mentoring high school students, organizing a community health fair, working with the undergraduate community and helping improve medical school curriculum and admissions.

SNMA is one of the nation’s oldest and largest independent, student-run organizations focused on the needs and concerns of culturally diverse medical students. Membership includes more than 8,000 pre-medical and medical students, residents and physicians nationally.

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