AAPA - American Academy of Physician Assistants

08/22/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/22/2025 09:23

PAF Endowment Secures Lasting Impact of Joyce Nichols Memorial Scholarship

PAF Endowment Secures Lasting Impact of Joyce Nichols Memorial Scholarship

Paving the way for the next generation of PAs

August 22, 2025

In a historic step forward, the Physician Associate Foundation (PAF) has established a permanent endowment for the Joyce Nichols Memorial Scholarship.

Established in 2020, the Joyce Nichols Memorial Scholarship supports Black or African American PA students, honoring a woman whose life and leadership helped shape the profession.

Joyce Nichols (1940-2012) was a trailblazer and an inspiration to many. She was the first Black woman to be formally educated and practice as a PA, and the first person of color to serve on the AAPA Board of Directors. Nichols was also the founding chair of the AAPA Minority Affairs Committee, a tireless advocate for representation, and a fierce believer in access to care and education.

"With every student this scholarship supports, Joyce Nichols' impact is renewed, and her vision for a more inclusive and compassionate healthcare system comes closer to reality," said AAPA Chief Medical Officer and PAF Executive Director, Jennifer M. Kolb, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA.

The Joyce Nichols Memorial Scholarship has already supported 38 students since its inception, each a reflection of her legacy and a glimpse of the future she worked to make possible.

[Help empower future PA leaders - donate to the Joyce Nichols Memorial Scholarship fund today!]

Joyce Nichols and Steve Turnipseed during a Minority Affairs Committee Meeting, 1975; courtesy of the PA History Society

The endowment, approved by the PAF Board of Trustees in May 2025, ensures that this scholarship will continue to grow in impact and sustainability for generations to come. It transforms what has been an annual expression of support into a permanent commitment that reflects both the legacy of Joyce Nichols and PAF's dedication to equity within the profession.

"The endowment of the Joyce Nichols Scholarship represents a recognition of her groundbreaking contributions to the profession and a commitment to future students," said PAF President Michel Statler, DMSc, PA-C. "By supporting this scholarship, we ensure that the next generation of PAs will have opportunities for their voices to lead, serve, and advance our profession."

With the new endowment in place, PAF is launching a sustained fundraising effort to continue growing the scholarship fund and expanding its impact. PAF invites past scholarship and award recipients, supporters, institutional partners, and the broader PA community to join in advancing this effort to empower future PA leaders.

As the PA profession continues to evolve, this endowment serves as a way to honor the past while investing in the future.

Those interested in contributing to the Joyce Nichols Memorial Scholarship Endowment can donate online.

For questions about the scholarship, please contact Allie Rivera at [email protected].

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AAPA - American Academy of Physician Assistants published this content on August 22, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 22, 2025 at 15:23 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]