WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ten health professional students pursuing health care careers in California will receive $5,000 and $2,000 scholarships from the National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF) at the Fifth Annual Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship Gala at the JW Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles on November 8, 2012.

Dr. Clinton Adams, Dean, College of Osteopathic Medical School of the Pacific, Nely Galan, Director, Adelante Movement, Arthur Ochoa, VP of Cedars Sinai Health System, Mauricio Leiva, Director, State Binational Health Office, and Manuel Bennett, Mexican Artist will receive Health Leadership Awards.  "We are proud to honor these leaders who are committed to service to California," said Dr. Elena Rios, president and CEO of NHHF.  "They are increasing access to health care, promoting healthy lifestyles, and increasing Hispanic students in health professions schools."

The scholarship program is supported by the United Health Foundation, Cedars Sinai Health System, Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Anthem, AltaMed, Eli Lilly, Genentech, Novo Nordisk, Latino Health Solutions-United HealthCare, and the National Hispanic Medical Association.

This year's scholarship recipients have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership and commitment to serving the Hispanic community, the nation's largest minority group. Their disciplines are in five areas: medicine, nursing, dentistry, public health, and pharmacy.

The student awardees are: Ligia Padilla, UCLA School of Dentistry, Juanita Dubon, Western U of Health Sciences School of Nursing, Mario Alfredo Chavez, UCLA School of Nursing, Maria Rivas, UCSF School of Pharmacy, Blanca Pacheco, SDSU School of Public Health, Vanessa Correa, Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Michael Esparza, Keck School of Medicine, USC, Viviana Ruiz Barros, UCDavis School of Medicine, Felipe Perez, MPH, Stanford School of Medicine, and Ken Payan, MPH, UCSF School of Medicine.  A prestigious panel of health care officials from the Wagner School, National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Latino Caucus of the American Public Health Association, the Hispanic Dental Association, and NHMA selected the awardees.

Since the scholarship program was launched in 2004, NHHF has awarded 115 scholarships totaling $342,000. "The NHHF is proud of its role in filling the growing demand for diversity through this scholarship program," Rios said. "By recognizing their achievements, we nurture the nation's future health professions leaders."

NHHF, located at the NY Academy of Medicine and affiliated with NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, is the 501(c)(3) arm of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC representing Hispanic physicians across the U.S. For information on the National Hispanic Health Foundation, go to www.nhmafoundation.org

SOURCE National Hispanic Health Foundation