2025 Annual Celebration of Scholarship recognizes student, resident recipients

UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry hosted the 2025 Annual Celebration of Scholarship on Jan. 16 in the Denton A. Cooley, MD and Ralph C. Cooley, DDS University Life Center, awarding over 120 students and residents with support for their studies in the 2024-25 academic year.

In accordance with the reception’s theme, “An Evening of Gratitude,” the growth of the generous support throughout the years has shown the passion and enthusiasm of individuals willing to give back to the school, surpassing $240,000 in total gifts for the current semester.

Gary N. Frey, DDS ’79, professor and chair of the Department of General Practice and Dental Public Health, delivered the reception’s keynote address. He recalled quotes about giving back from figures such as Winston Churchill, Maya Angelou, and Mother Teresa before explaining his personal connections to the endowments he gives to.

“I’ve always found it rewarding to give,” Frey said. “No matter where we are in life or how much we have, there’s always an opportunity to give back whether it’s through knowledge, resources, or time.”

Frey revealed that although he has never been able to start an endowment, he has been able to contribute in smaller increments to previously established ones.

“Giving doesn’t have to come in large, grand gestures,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of people make very wonderful, huge donations to this school, and we’ll be forever grateful to anyone and everyone who can make those gestures, but there are a lot like me who’ve never been able to make a gesture like that.

“When you start small, those small contributions can really make one of these endowments grow.”

Frey challenged the scholarship recipients to think about the next generation of students and continue the tradition of giving back by helping them out on their dental school journey.

“You’ve all worked very hard to get where you are today, and you going to continue to work hard until you graduate and become successful practitioners. I can’t wait to see where you go and what you do to pay it back,” he concluded.

Frey has won multiple Dean’s Teaching Excellence Awards, the John P. McGovern Outstanding Teaching Award, and the John H. Freeman Award for Faculty Teaching. He is the faculty sponsor for the American Student Dental Association and Psi Omega Dental Fraternity.

During the scholarship recognition, Robert Spears, PhD, MS, associate dean for student and academic affairs, announced the recipients while Dean John A. Valenza, DDS ’81, provided information on the scholarships as they were announced.

Recipients are as follows:

Hanan Abdelgilil

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Colby Allen

• Robert O. (Rod) Dosch Scholarship

Jamie Anagnos

• Ronald V. Glauser, DDS Scholarship

Angela Angelova

• Gary S. Leff, DDS, MPH Scholarship
• Thomas L. Willis, MD, DDS and T. Bradford Willis, DDS, MSD Scholarship in Pediatric Dentistry

Ali Arif

• Schwinn Family Scholarship

Kellie Askew

• Craven Scholarship
• Max Olivo Hutchins, PhD Memorial Scholarship

Basmah Atta

• Ronald V. Glauser, DDS Scholarship

Souhad Bachnak

• Carus Dental: Dental and Dental Hygiene Scholarship

Reece Bedee

• Ronald V. Glauser, DDS Scholarship

Nathaniel Blake

• Craven Scholarship

Victoria Boreman

• University of Texas School of Dentistry Faculty Scholarships

Hanna Bowie

• UTSD Alumni Association Founders Fund Scholarship

Julia Bradshaw

• Frederick C. Elliott, DDS, Severin Knutson, Rupert Estel Hall Dental Scholarship

Dr. Bethany Burgess

• Pauline C. “Jackie” Duke Orthodontic Residency Scholarship

Peyton Cain

• Erbert William “Danny” D’Anton, DDS Memorial Scholarship

Michael Chai

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

Ava Chaparro

• Schwinn Family Scholarship

Claire Chen

• Delta Dental Scholarship

Jed Chen

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

Emilee Davis

• Daniel C. Kamas, DDS Scholarship

Allison Day

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Celeste Del Pilar

• and Mrs. Anthony Charles Garza Scholarship

Carlye Dierckman

• Kenneth H. Porter Memorial Scholarship in Operative Dentistry

Ngan Dinh

• Carus Dental: Dental and Dental Hygiene Scholarship

Brandon Dinh

• Edgar H. Boelsche Scholarship
• Texas Dental Association Smiles Foundation

Ashley Doan

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

Fatemah Ebrahimi

• Frederick C. Elliott, DDS, Severin Knutson, Rupert Estel Hall Dental Scholarship

Brooke Ellis

• University of Texas School of Dentistry Faculty Scholarships

Emily Epperson

• Women of Rotary Club Student Scholarship

Shadi Fahham

• Dental Hygiene Class of 2003 Scholarship

Julian Fernandez

• Gary S. Leff, DDS, MPH Scholarship

Carly Feuquay

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

America Garcia

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Dr. Gustavo Garza

• Joel J. Vela Pediatric Dentistry Scholarship

Caroline Gekas

• Delta Dental Scholarship

Dr. Tisha General

• Pauline C. “Jackie” Duke Orthodontic Residency Scholarship

Kobe George

• Schwinn Family Scholarship

Sydney Gibson

• Women of Rotary Club Student Scholarship

Dr. Taylor Glovsky

• Pauline C. “Jackie” Duke Orthodontic Residency Scholarship

Daniel Gonzales

• and Mrs. Tan Vu Scholarship

Joshanpal Grewal

• UTSD Alumni Association Founders Fund Scholarship

Cariana Guerra

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry
• Ramirez-Rathmel South Texas General Dentistry Scholarship

Abigail Hafner

• Delta Dental Scholarship

Rodas Hagos

• John D. Lee, DDS Scholarship

Nour Hilal

• Triolo Leadership in Dentistry Scholarship

Shayla Ho

• Edgar H. Boelsche Scholarship
• Nhan Hien Scholarship
• Texas Dental Association Smiles Foundation

Stephanie Hoang

• Houston Asian American Dental Society Scholarship

Vanessa Hoang

• Frederick C. Elliott, DDS, Severin Knutson, Rupert Estel Hall Dental Scholarship

Dr. Morgan Horvath

• Pauline C. “Jackie” Duke Orthodontic Residency Scholarship

Dr. Madeline Howell

• Pauline C. “Jackie” Duke Orthodontic Residency Scholarship

Hadley Jones

• James H. Wuensche Scholarship

Cathy Kadharmestan

• Gene Stevenson, DDS, Memorial Award in Evidence-based Dentistry

Armig Kalustian Henriquez

• Frederick C. Elliott, DDS, Severin Knutson, Rupert Estel Hall Dental Scholarship

Noor Karkoutly

• UTSD Alumni Association Founders Fund Scholarship

Maryam Khalil

• UTSD Alumni Association Founders Fund Scholarship

Aemin Kim

• Gao Family Scholarship

Caitlyn Krebs

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry
• Women of Rotary Club Student Scholarship

Chloe Ku

• James H. Wuensche Scholarship

Rawan Layth

• Gene Stevenson, DDS, Memorial Award in Evidence-based Dentistry

Trina Le

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

Katie Le

• Women of Rotary Club Student Scholarship

Hannah Lee

• Schwinn Family Scholarship

Kaitlyn Liu

• UTSD Alumni Association Founders Fund Scholarship

Nicolas Magana

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Umar Malik

• Alliance of the Texas Dental Association Memorial Scholarship

Kelsie Malit

• Schwinn Family Scholarship

Jolyssa Mallare

• Shirah May Hall Memorial Scholarship in Dental Hygiene

John Mansour

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Allyson Martinez

• and Mrs. Tan Vu Scholarship

Loren Matrone

• Bob and Tonya Foster Scholarship

Dr. Ryan McGovern

• Pauline C. “Jackie” Duke Orthodontic Residency Scholarship

Ivan Medellin

• Greater Houston Dental Hygienists’ Association Ushma Ramaiya Memorial Scholarship

Alexa Montemayor

• Carus Dental: Dental and Dental Hygiene Scholarship

Arianna Montes

• Edgar H. Boelsche Scholarship

Sherilynne Moore

• Max Olivo Hutchins, PhD Memorial Scholarship

Brendan Moxley

• Kenneth H. Porter Memorial Scholarship in Operative Dentistry

Akhila Nanneboyina

• Herbert E. Wyss Jr., DDS ’68 Scholarship

Brenda Navarro

• and Mrs. Anthony Charles Garza Scholarship

Brian Nguyen

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

Bryan Nguyen

• Daniel C. Kamas, DDS Scholarship

Christine Nguyen

• Bradford Willis, DDS, MSD, Scholarship in Pediatric Dentistry

Whitney Nguyen

• Lawrence Warren Maher, Jr., DDS Memorial Scholarship

Trish Nguyen-Thach

• Donald J. and Alice J. Hughes Scholarship

Victoria Okanlawon

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Jeffrey Orchard

• William “Sam” Leifeste, DDS Memorial Scholarship

Ali Oufi

• Nhan Hien Scholarship

Nicolas Pace

• Corina Diaz-Bajsel and Walter Bajsel Scholarship

Eunjin Park

• Edgar H. Boelsche Scholarship

Niran Patel

• UTSD Alumni Association Founders Fund Scholarship

Amanda Pham

• Delta Dental Scholarship

Kim Pham

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

Matthew Pham

• and Mrs. Anthony Charles Garza Scholarship

Angeline Pham

• UTSD Alumni Association Founders Fund Scholarship

Alexandra Piccio

• Herbert E. Wyss Jr., DDS ’68 Scholarship

Mariana Pinilla Lizardi

• Donald J. and Alice J. Hughes Scholarship

Daniela Plana Trajtenberg

• and Mrs. Tan Vu Scholarship

Natalie Pruneda

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Husam Rassam

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

Bethany Rawlinson

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Emily Ray

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Purina Razinobakht                                                

• Women of Rotary Club Student Scholarship

Briana Reilly

• Women of Rotary Club Student Scholarship

Tiffany Saba

• Kinnari M. Prajapati, DDS Scholarship

Andrew Samaan

• Alliance of the Texas Dental Association Memorial Scholarship

Jacob Scanlan

• Lawrence Warren Maher, Jr., DDS Memorial Scholarship

Stephanie Seymour

• Shirah May Hall Memorial Scholarship in Dental Hygiene

Katherine Shei

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

McKenna Shepherd

• Edgar H. Boelsche Scholarship

Tanvi Siruvuri

• Nhan Hien Scholarship

Dr. Elizabeth Siso

• Joel J. Vela Pediatric Dentistry Scholarship

Blake Solcher

• Frederick C. Elliott, DDS, Severin Knutson, Rupert Estel Hall Dental Scholarship

Sergio Solis

• and Mrs. Anthony Charles Garza Scholarship

Mahana Stone

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

Katheryn Swigart

• James T. and Nancy B Willerson Scholarship

Scottie Taylor

• Kamila M Husain, DDS, and Nomaan K. Husain, JD Scholarship

Anna Thibodeaux

• Edgar H. Boelsche Scholarship

James Tidwell

• Carus Dental: Dental and Dental Hygiene Scholarship

Kendall Toelle

• Raymond Kenneth Morrow, DDS, and Yen Hoang Morrow Scholarship

Patrick Tran

• Thuc La, DDS Scholarship

Vivian Tran

• Lola B. and James R. Ballinger, DDS Scholarship in General Dentistry

Osaivbie Uhunmwuangho

• Edgar H. Boelsche Scholarship

Dr. Jackson Valencia

• Milton Yellen and Florence Yellen Scholarship

Amy Vo

• and Mrs. Tan Vu Scholarship

Avery Wilkerson

• UTSD Alumni Association Founders Fund Scholarship

Madeleine Williamson

• Daniel C. Kamas, DDS Scholarship

Addie Wright

• Kamila M Husain, DDS, and Nomaan K. Husain, JD Scholarship

Dr. Mary Younan

• Heyl G. Tebo Scholarship

Yuleima Zamora

• Women of Rotary Club Student Scholarship