Pictured here (left to right) are: hospital CEO Hector Hernandez; scholarship recipients Sebastian Padilla, Ariana Cottrell, Avani Lepe and Guadalupe Pablo; and Dr. Daniel Lemor, hospital chief of staff. At the far right is a portrait of the late Dr. Eduardo Lopez.
A beloved tradition resumed July 15 at East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital when four family members of hospital employees received college scholarships — $1,500 each — funded by the hospital’s medical staff and administration.
The 2026 scholarship reception took place at the hospital, continuing a tradition that began in 1991 when the medical staff wished to demonstrate their commitment to the betterment of the East LA community by establishing a scholarship program for local students.
In 2011, the program was named the Eduardo “Al” Lopez, M.D., Scholarship Program, honoring a former emergency medicine physician who practiced in the East LA community for more than 30 years. A member of the hospital’s medical staff, Lopez died that year.
The scholarship program was halted in 2020 with the COVID pandemic and restarted this year.
The 2026 scholarship recipients include two individuals studying psychology, one pursuing studies in molecular biology, and one pursuing post-graduate studies in mechatronics engineering.
In his closing remarks at the dinner, hospital CEO Hector Hernandez congratulated the scholarship students, saying, “Your dedication, perseverance and commitment to excellence inspire our entire East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital family. We wish you every success in your academic journey.”
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