Adolfo and Debbie Telles Announce $100,000 Donation to Support Future Healthcare Heroes at Texas Tech University El Paso
Texas Tech Health El Paso and The University of Texas at El Paso today announced the second cohort of MedFuture, a collaborative initiative to create a pathway for qualified students to attend local El Paso colleges and medical schools immediately after high school graduation.
At the event, Adolfo and Debbie Telles announced a $50,000 donation to the Adolfo R. Telles and Deborah L. Telles Family Scholarship, which will be matched by the KPMG Foundation, doubling the donation to $100,000. Adolfo Telles, a former partner at accounting firm KPMG, has benefited from the foundation’s matching gifts program.
The Telles Family Scholarship will be awarded to both current medical students and MedFuture students enrolled at the Foster School of Medicine, continuing our mission of developing future healthcare leaders.
Each year, the MedFuture Partnership recognizes five outstanding high school seniors who have an interest in science and medicine and a strong desire to contribute to the Borderplex community after graduation. Selected students will attend UTEP and, as program participants, will be conditionally admitted to Texas Tech Health El Paso’s Foster College of Medicine upon completion of their bachelor’s degree at UTEP.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with UTEP and welcome this second class of students,” said Richard Lange, MD, MBA, chancellor of Texas Tech University at El Paso and dean of the Foster College of Medicine. “This initiative provides an educational pathway for talented, competitive local students who want to attend local medical school and serve local patients. MedFuture will help us address the physician shortage in the Borderplex and address the healthcare challenges facing our residents.”
“Our first cohort of MedFuture students are well on their way to earning their degrees, and I am proud to welcome our second cohort,” said UTEP Chancellor Heather Wilson, PhD. “I am confident that the rigorous education and research opportunities available at UTEP, along with the incredible experiences they will gain at the Foster School of Medicine, will enable them to become unrivaled physicians who will transform health care in our community.”
Introducing the second batch of MedFuture students
A joint committee of faculty and staff from UTEP and Texas Tech Health El Paso selected five outstanding students for admission to UTEP and the Foster School of Medicine. The selections were as follows:
- Lonzo Shelley, Pebble Hills High School
- Race Shamaree Colts, El Paso High School
- Gretel Olvera, Harmony Science Academy
- Gerardo Garcia, Santa Teresa High School
- Crystal Armenta, Clint Early College Academy
Kortz said he knows underserved areas tend to have poorer health outcomes, which fuels his desire to become a doctor.
“As a physician, I know that members of my community depend on my dedication, which is why I intend to be a vocal leader and use my knowledge to help them,” Coltz said.
While earning their bachelor’s degree at UTEP, MedFuture students also receive strong foundational medical school prep support and enroll in the UTEP PREP summer program to build a strong foundation for college life.
The MedFuture initiative is a first for West Texas, bringing together two independent universities to create one pathway to medical education. This groundbreaking program has the potential to not only foster a deeper interest and understanding of the medical field, but also change the life trajectory of local students and their families as they embark on high-paying careers in medicine in the Borderplex.
Adolfo and Debbie Telles: Champions of Community and Education
Adolfo and Debbie Telles are longtime El Paso residents with a distinguished history of contributions to the Borderplex as passionate community activists. Their dedication to supporting education and community development has had a profound impact on the lives of countless people.
Understanding the transformative power of education, the Telles have established several scholarship funds in our area, including one for accounting majors.
“Education has made a huge difference in our lives, and we want to help others achieve their dreams,” said Adolfo. These scholarships provide critical support to students, enabling them to pursue higher education and achieve their career goals. Adolfo credits education for his success during his decades-long career with accounting firm KPMG.
“Having goals and dreams is crucial, and knowing there is a way to achieve them. Scholarships help fill students’ financial gaps,” he said.
Adolfo and Debbie are proud that these students will one day contribute to the health of our community.
“Healthcare is crucial. We need it,” Adolfo said. “We need to help people live meaningful, fulfilling lives, and health care is part of that.”
Debbie agreed, noting the importance of exposing students to real-world healthcare challenges.
“Our community is large and has many needs. Diseases cross borders and our students are at risk,” she said. “They’re getting experiences here that they wouldn’t get at other medical schools.”
While the results of the MedFuture program are still a few years away, the Telles family and Borderplex can look to Adolfo’s godmother, Dr. Promise Bood, an obstetrics and gynecology resident at Texas Tech Health El Paso. A native of Alamogordo, New Mexico, Dr. Bood participated in a program similar to MedFuture at the University of New Mexico and its medical school.
“I was fortunate to be part of this program because I was given support and guidance in terms of counseling, letting me know what to expect and the types of classes I should take,” Dr. Bood said.
Dr. Bood also had words of encouragement for the MedFuture cohort.
“You’ve already been through this process, and I congratulate you on being accepted into this incredible program,” she said. “That’s step one. Step two is continuing that commitment to not only knowing the science, but understanding cultural competency, understanding the health disparities and barriers that your community faces, and thinking about what you can do to address those disparities and improve your community.”
About Texas Tech University El Paso
Texas Tech Health El Paso is the only health science center on the U.S.-Mexico border, serving 108 historically underserved counties in West Texas. Designated a Title V Hispanic Serving Institution, the center is developing the next generation of health care heroes, 48% of whom are Hispanic and often first-generation students.
Founded as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso is a diverse, unique and innovative home for education and research.
With a mission to remove barriers to health care and create life-changing educational opportunities for Borderplex residents, Texas Tech Health El Paso has produced more than 2,400 doctors, nurses and researchers over the past decade and is on track to add dentists to its graduating class beginning in 2025. For more information, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.
About the University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is America’s leading Hispanic serving university. Located on the western edge of Texas, at the intersection of three states and two countries along the Rio Grande River, UTEP’s 24,000 students are 84% Hispanic, and half are the first in their families to attend college. UTEP is America’s only open access, top-ranked research university, offering 171 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs.
Last updated: June 7, 2024 12:00 AM | First published: June 7, 2024
MC staff
UTEP Marketing and Communications
