UTC’s Kynedi Jennings was one of six statewide recipients of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation BlueCross Power of We Health Equity Scholarships (photo courtesy of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee).
Kynedi Jennings, a sophomore nursing major at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, was one of six Tennessee college students selected as recipients of the 2024 BlueCross Power of We Health Equity Scholarship, funded by the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation.
Each year, the foundation awards six $10,000 BlueCross Power of We Health Equity Scholarships based on students’ achievements in community service, leadership and academics—as well as their commitment to improving health equity in the state.
Since the scholarship program’s inception in 2013, the foundation has granted $475,000 in scholarships to 50 recipients pursuing degrees in health care. The scholarship is available to both undergraduate and graduate students attending accredited Tennessee institutions.
“We know that as we work to improve health outcomes for all Tennesseans, it’s critical to support the state’s future health care providers,” Dr. Andrea Willis, senior vice president and chief medical officer at BlueCross, said in the official announcement. “As we continue to build on our understanding of health disparities and barriers to care, our Power of We Scholarship remains a vital component in our strategy to advance health equity.”
A native of Collierville, Tennessee, and a 2023 graduate of Briarcrest Christian High School in suburban Memphis, Jennings is passionate about becoming a labor and delivery nurse. Her long-term goal is to continue her education and become a nurse practitioner.
She was initially introduced to the Power of We scholarship opportunity by a family member.
“My aunt sent it over to me and I was like, ‘This can’t be real,’ but I went for it,” Jennings recalled. “I’ve been telling my mom about health inequities so that just was everything I stood for.”
Jennings said the scholarship has already made a substantial difference in her academic journey, providing her with the financial support she will need to focus on her studies.
“It means that I can get through school without financial problems and not worry about my tuition or books or anything like that,” she said.
In addition to the financial assistance, she also received helpful tools to support her education.
“They gave me a computer. They gave me headphones. I use my computer to study every day,” she explained.
Jennings has demonstrated a solid commitment to serving others throughout her life. In high school, she completed over 300 hours of leadership development and community service as part of the Memphis Bridge Builders Youth Program. She also participated in the Leadership Collierville Youth Program.
These days, in addition to managing her academic workload at UTC, she volunteers at Medical Staffing Solutions, providing personal care for veterans and occasionally helping out at local homeless shelters.
“I just like helping people,” Jennings said. “Sometimes I’ll just be at home and I’ll have some bread or something—and I’ll just be like, ‘Let’s take peanut butter and jelly over there.’ I like to help everyone.”
This is Jennings’ final semester of her prerequisites, with nursing school looming in January. The plan, she said, is to get her bachelor’s degree, work as a labor and delivery nurse, and then pursue an advanced degree.
With the support of the Power of We scholarship, Jennings is on track to reach those goals.
“I want to make a meaningful impact, particularly in underserved communities,” she said, “and getting this scholarship means a lot to me.”
This is the third consecutive year that the BlueCross scholarship program honored a UTC student.
In 2022, psychology major Zennia Nesmith was the recipient of a $10,000 Power of We Scholarship. Nesmith received her bachelor’s degree from UTC earlier this year and was elected to Alpha Society—one of the University’s oldest and most prestigious honor societies.
In 2023, a trio of UTC students—psychology major Destini Givens (who graduated this May) and nursing majors Emmanuella Ingabire and Kendrick Cox—were among the six statewide recipients.
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Kynedi Jennings is a sophomore nursing major at UTC (photo courtesy of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee).
