Beazley Foundation creates W. Ashton Lewis Sr. Endowed Scholarship
The Beazley Foundation has solidified its commitment to education and healthcare by establishing the W. Ashton Lewis Sr. Endowed Scholarship at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
This scholarship aims to support first-year medical students hailing from the Hampton Roads area. It serves as a tribute to Lewis, a distinguished member of the EVMS Board of Visitors and a trustee of the Beazley Foundation since 1990. Lewis also served as acting President of EVMS in 1987.
Steve Best, President and CEO, expressed the significance of honoring Ashton Lewis, stating, “Ashton’s unwavering dedication to the betterment of our community, particularly in the realm of education and healthcare, is truly commendable. This scholarship is a fitting tribute to this remarkable contribution.”
In recognizing the Beazley Foundation’s contribution, Alfred Abuhamad, MD, EVMS President, Provost and Dean of the School of Medicine, highlighted the importance of community support.
“We are grateful to have community partners such as the Beazley Foundation who invest in our future healthcare providers and help ease students’ financial burdens,” says Dr. Abuhamad. “As these students graduate and move into their careers, they have the potential to improve and support healthcare and health innovations here in Hampton Roads.”
The Beazley Foundation’s longstanding support for EVMS dates to the academic institution’s inception in 1973. The foundation contributed to the original fund drive that established EVMS. The group’s support has extended to other vital initiatives, including investments in the Leroy T. Canoles Jr. Cancer Research Center and expansion of the Health Sciences Academy to Chesapeake Public Schools.
To learn more about scholarship or how to support EVMS, contact Development at 757.965.8500 or giving@evms.edu.
Pictured above: Dr. Bruce Waldholtz, EVMS Rector, Zachary Bouker, MD Class of 2027, Dr. Alfred Abuhamad, and Steve Best, CEO of the Beazley Foundation.