The Abbott Scholars program at University of the Pacific has hit a significant milestone in its efforts to bolster the number of specialized health care professionals treating diabetes in Stockton. 

This fall, with the newest cohort of scholars, the program has officially helped 100 students pursue careers in health care and expand access to care in the community, where more than half of the adult population has diabetes or pre-diabetes.

“I live and work in Stockton, so prior to being an Abbott Scholar, I saw the impact that diabetes has on this community,” said social work student and Abbott Scholar Meredith Hagler ’28. “The number of clients I see who are diabetic is staggering. Being able to learn more about diabetes to serve my community and be an advocate was a big thing for me.”

Launched in 2020, the Abbott Scholar program is a partnership between Pacific and Abbott Fund, the philanthropic foundation of global health care company Abbott.
 

The scholarship has provided support to students in nursing, social work and clinical nutrition, covering 50% of tuition. In exchange, students commit to study diabetes prevention and management and work in Stockton for at least two years. 

For many scholars, the support makes higher education possible. Hagler says the milestone also reflects a larger commitment to uplifting the quality of care in the region.

“Abbott Fund has made an investment in Stockton and in creating future providers that are able to understand and treat those who have diabetes on both the medical and the social work side,” she said. “The fact that they've been able to help 100 students alleviate the financial burden of graduate school, while also investing in the community, is an incredible achievement.”

One of those providers is nursing school alumna and former Abbott Scholar Alondra Aldaba ’25. Aldaba works in the emergency department of St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, the same place where her father died from complications due to diabetes and heart disease.

“A lot of people would say, ‘oh, you're so strong for going back and working in the emergency department there,’ but I see it as a privilege to be able to connect with families and help them in their emergent situations,” she said.

Growing up in Stockton, she watched her father often face barriers to care as a low-income family, including finding Spanish-speaking health care providers for him. The experience drove her to become a bilingual nurse to help families in similar situations.

“Even though not everything goes the way you'd want it to, and it's not always a happy ending with the patient that you see, I think the ability to connect and understand what they're going through is rewarding,” she said. 

In addition to the Abbott Scholars program, Pacific partners with Abbott Fund to host Diabetes Care Clinics and offers a free diabetes education curriculum for clinicians and paraprofessionals.

The partnership between Abbott Fund and Pacific served as inspiration for legislation U.S. Rep. Josh Harder introduced this fall. The Partnerships for Better Health Act is intended to reduce chronic diseases by investing in nutrition support services and new health care partnerships.

"Helping 100 scholars to advance their education is an exciting milestone, but what inspires us most is what comes next," said Melissa Brotz, Senior Vice President, Abbott and President, Abbott Fund. "These students are preparing for careers dedicated to helping others, and we're proud to support their journey alongside University of the Pacific as they work to improve health in their Stockton communities."

Learn more about the Abbott Scholars program.