WakeMed Foundation Names First Class of Recipients for the Megan Champ Morgan Scholarship
June 23, 2022
RALEIGH, N.C. (June 22, 2022) – The WakeMed Foundation today announces its first class of honorees to receive the Megan Champ Morgan Scholarship Fund, which was established to benefit WakeMed employees and their dependents who plan to pursue post-secondary education in health sciences, education, and technology. Five deserving high school students, all children of WakeMed employees, were awarded scholarships of up to $10,000 to support their future education and career aspirations.
The fund was established earlier this year by former WakeMed president & CEO Ray Champ and his wife Meredyth in memory of their daughter Megan’s legacy of kindness, service and giving back.
Five recipients were selected from more than 31 applications to receive the inaugural scholarships from the Megan Champ Morgan Scholarship Fund. A committee reviewed all applications and interviewed scholarship finalists to determine the recipients. The 2022 recipients are:
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Seamus Finerghty, Millbrook High School. Seamus works with children enrolled in the City of Raleigh’s summer and afterschool programs. He hopes to eventually become a physical therapist.
Parent: Patricia Finerghy, WakeMed Pediatric Endocrinology & Gastroenterology -
Bryan Vazquez, Harnett Central High School. Bryan, whose family is from Mexico, plans to become a traveling anesthesiologist and give back to communities experiencing health care disparities.
Parent: Raven Vazquez, Labor & Delivery – WakeMed Cary Hospital -
Joshua Hutchins, Athens Drive Magnet High School. Joshua, whose passion for medicine he attributes in part to losing his father to ALS, wants to become a nurse.
Parent: Kerry Hutchins, WakeMed Outpatient Rehab -
Melanie Nassar, Millbrook High School. Melanie’s career goal is to become an orthopaedic surgeon. This year, she took the initiative to create and plan an international fair at her school.
Parent: Lilian Nassar, WakeMed Pediatric Primary Care -
Camden Myers, Clayton High School. Camden has been a WakeMed volunteer for the past four years. She became interested in medicine when her father was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Her goal is to become a cardiovascular surgeon.
Parent: Jennifer Myers, WakeMed OB-GYN, Clayton
“We’re thrilled to award the inaugural scholarships from the Megan Champ Morgan Scholarship Fund to five extremely deserving students from the WakeMed family,” said Brad Davis, executive director of the WakeMed Foundation. “The students selected are all incredibly impressive with lofty and admirable goals for future careers in health care. It’s a privilege to partner with the Champ family to support our employees and the next generation of health care workers in Megan’s honor.”
Megan Champ Morgan lived a life full of compassion, caring and respect for others. Although only 45 when she died, Megan left many examples of her giving nature through her work and countless personal acts of compassion and kindness. She learned about WakeMed’s culture and values from an early age, not only from her father, who served as CEO from 1983 to 2003, but also as a teen volunteer and intern at WakeMed.
The deadline for applications for the 2023 scholarship cycle is March 15, 2023, with decisions announced by June 2023. Employee parents and dependents must meet several eligibility requirements. To learn more about the Megan Champ Morgan Scholarship Fund and other grant and funding opportunities available through the WakeMed Foundation, visit www.wakemed.org/for-employees/foundation-scholarships.
About the WakeMed Foundation
WakeMed Foundation is the philanthropic partner for WakeMed Health & Hospitals, supporting the health system in its mission of improving the health and well-being of our community. The WakeMed Foundation is committed to impacting the lives of patients by supporting WakeMed’s aspirational goals. For more than 25 years, the WakeMed Foundation has supported the development of new facilities, innovative health programs and meeting the needs of WakeMed’s patients and staff.
About WakeMed Health & Hospitals
Serving the community since 1961, WakeMed is a not-for-profit health care system founded and based in Raleigh, N.C. WakeMed exists to improve the health and well-being of our community by providing outstanding and compassionate care to all. WakeMed’s 970-bed system comprises a network of facilities throughout the Triangle area, including three full-service hospitals, seven emergency departments, a dedicated Children’s Hospital and Rehabilitation Hospital, more than 80 physician offices and Wake County’s only Level I Trauma Center. WakeMed’s mission-driven team includes more than 10,300 employees, 1,000 volunteers and 1,300 affiliated physicians, along with the more than 700 physicians and providers with WakeMed Physician Practices – all representing the best minds and the biggest hearts and the finest quality in health care and community health. For more information, visit www.wakemed.org or follow WakeMed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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