Cassandra Lewis, an MBA student in the School of Business, and Nerissa Kellyman, a freshman pre-nursing/pre-law major, received scholarship awards from the Black Alumni of Loma Linda and La Sierra University organization. Their award announcements were part of the 24th annual BALL Scholarship Banquet held in February 2007 in Los Angeles.

After carefully exploring her graduate education options, Lewis decided to attend La Sierra after completing her undergraduate studies at Northern Caribbean University. "I chose La Sierra because of its Seventh-day Adventist affiliation and learning environment that recognizes Christ as the Master Teacher, the School of Business's curriculum in human resource management, and the financial assistance available through a variety of scholarships," says Lewis.

She plans to become a certified professional in human resources and is currently being mentored by Prudence L. Pollard, an associate professor at the School of Business. Lewis's goal is to own her own human resource consulting firm. She also plans to develop a trust fund in her home country of Jamaica, which will partner with educational institutions to provide greater educational opportunities for Jamaican students at all levels.

Kellyman believes LSU offers a wealth of unique characteristics. "As a Christian institution, La Sierra promised an atmosphere of constant awareness of God," she says. "La Sierra is also a melting pot of different races and cultures from around the world. This diverse community promises to broaden not just my education, but my awareness and acceptance of different people and cultures. I desired to be a part of that community!"

She hopes to combine her passions for health care and service to achieve her goal of becoming a medical attorney. "Many people living in poverty in the U.S. and around the world cannot afford health care," Kellyman says. "My objective is to display human dignity by fighting to ensure these people get proper medical treatment, and are respected regardless of their social class, educational background or skin color."

BALL is a volunteer organization dedicated to supporting academic excellence for black students at both Loma Linda and La Sierra universities.