Introducing Fernanda Silva Celaya: The 2021 DTA Foundation / Robert J. Sullivan Family Foundation Scholarship Recipient

University of California, Los Angeles’ Fernanda Silva Celaya was awarded the top 2021 scholarship of $25,000 as last year’s DTA Foundation / Robert J. Sullivan Family Foundation Scholarship Recipient.

In 2021, the DTA Foundation awarded its second Robert J. Sullivan Family Foundation $25,000 Scholarship to the top scholasrship applicant. Fernanda Silva Celaya, a dental student at the University of California, Los Angeles was the very deserving recipient of the top scholarship. SFernanda Silva Celaya was present at the 2021 DTA Annual Meeting in San Diego and was able to speak with some scholarship donors about her story and her commitment to community service.

Being selected to be the top DTA Foundation scholarship winner is truly a great honor! I feel very humbled. This scholarship confirms that I am heading in the right direction and that all my sacrifices and hard work is paying off. I hope to be able to apply Robert J Sullivan’s philosophy of treating people and making new relationships in my future as a dental professional.

My hopes for the future are to run my own community health center and inspire the next generation of dentists as a teacher, hopefully at my alma mater UCLA. I also hope my efforts alleviate the health disparities within the Hispanic and underserved communities.