AHPAC Congratulates OUR 3rd Place Scholarship Recipient

Congratulations Alana Herran

Alana Herran is a student at the George Washington University, PA, MPH program and will graduate in May 2024.  The Master of  Public Health Program helped her understand how to evaluate gaps in student diversity, equity, and inclusion.   She presented the results of this survey to the GW faculty in an effort to bring meaningful change to the program. The survey is now being expanded so that it can be administered at other PA programs in the United States. It is the intention of this work to allow program leadership to make improvements to ensure culturally, competent curriculum, and increase representation  of minority PA students. Alana  is very enthusiastic about influencing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in PA education so that she and others can help prepare the next generation of PAs.

She served as the diversity representative for the class of 2024 at GW School  of Medicine and Health Sciences.  She spearheaded  Project Access in her local community, which has been very timely with the relaunch of Project Access with AHPAC‘s 23 in 23 initiative. Alana has been described as an enthusiastic, dedicated leader, who uses initiative, while managing the rigors of her joint, PA/MPH program. For example, she reached out to the case manager, and Director of mentoring for GW‘s health careers opportunity program. She and her team volunteered to lead one of their workshops- a day in the life of a PA student, which was riveting, compelling and very well received. It was noted that “the audience traditionally inattentive high school and community college students were thoroughly captivated. “ It was one of the most highly rated workshops at HCOP (health careers opportunity program) in the five years of its existence at GW University . It is said that she’s such an inspiration and a change maker that she will reach aspiring practitioners who need guidance support, and encouragement.

Alana is considered a servant leader, especially to the black community. Not only has she served as a mentor for first your black students at her alma mater - the University of Virginia, she has also tutored elementary students,  organized food, toy, and PPE drives in Baltimore, and assisted in teaching adaptive, physical education for students with disabilities. She has also Volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and organized American Red Cross Blood drives.

Her leadership skills are clearly evident as she was elected two years in a row as a diversity representative for her class. Alana has been described as “intelligent, bright  energetic, responsible, and dedicated.”

It is with great pleasure that we recognize Alana Herran, as the, third Place recipient of the Prentiss Lee Harrison Scholarship.

Congratulations!!!!