Two students from St. Louis will receive support to attend college in Missouri from the newly created Helen E. Nash MD Scholarship, in honor of the late pioneer in medicine.
The Helen E. Nash MD renewable scholarship, administered through the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, will go to one or two undergraduate students who come from schools in the City of St. Louis and have demonstrated financial need and excelled academically. Funds will help fund tuition and expenses at four-year colleges or universities in Missouri.
Dr. Nash’s niece Lauren Nash Ming said the scholarships would provide up to $5,000 annually and there is a preference for minority applicants, but no requirement.
“We are very honored to have been selected by the Nash family to carry out Dr. Nash’s wishes,” said Faith Sandler, executive director of the Scholarship Foundation.
“Dr. Nash believed strongly that access to education and health care are the keys to building strong individuals and communities. With this scholarship, young people from the city with the drive and passion to pursue higher education will now have the financial resources to realize their dreams.”
Dr. Nash broke through gender and racial barriers during her career. After graduating from Spelman College in 1941, she was one of very few women attending Meharry Medical College in 1945.
Upon completion of her pediatric residency at Homer G. Phillips Hospital in 1949, Dr. Nash was one of only four African-American physicians (and the only woman among them) invited to join the Washington University School of Medicine faculty, as well as the first African American asked to join the St. Louis Children’s Hospital staff.
“Helen refused to let others marginalize her, even when that meant facing extreme prejudice and bigotry,” said her niece, Alison Nash, MD.
An energetic, ambitious and highly committed physician, Dr. Nash started her private practice in 1949, while remaining on staff at Homer G. Phillips Hospital, serving as pediatric supervisor and associate director of pediatrics from 1950 to 1964. She was president of Children’s Hospital attending staff from 1977 to 1979.
Dr. Nash retired from private practice and her faculty position in 1993. She then served as dean of minority affairs for Washington University School of Medicine from 1994 to 1996.
“She loved her patients, and pushed institutions to change to improve children’s health and lives,” Dr. Alison Nash said.
Helen Nash followed her father’s footsteps by pursuing a medical career. He was a general practitioner in Atlanta. Her younger brother, Dr. Homer E. Nash Jr., and her niece, Dr. Alison Nash, followed Helen Nash into pediatrics.
“She set very high standards for herself and the people around her,” Dr. Alison Nash said of her aunt.
“She was very clear that she not only wanted to practice medicine, she also wanted access to cutting-edge research, and to make an impact on the future of medicine by teaching and mentoring new physicians.”
Monique Gale, program supervisor at The Scholarship Foundation, said, “Dr. Nash was my pediatrician and always encouraged me and all her patients to dream big. This is an exciting way to honor her memory.”
The signing event was held at The Scholarship Foundation on October 7, the anniversary of Dr. Nash’s passing.
For more information on the Helen Nash MD Scholarship, visit www.sfstl.org.
