Dr. Beverly G. Coleman Dr. Everod A. Coleman Jr. 1921 Montgomery Avenue Villanova, PA 19085-1817
Dear Drs. Coleman,
I am pleased to thank you for your support of Harvard Medical School’s REACH Scholarship Program through the Beverly and Everod Coleman REACH Scholarship. Your generosity is crucial in enabling admitted students with financial need to pursue their medical education at HMS. Our REACH scholars, who embody the values of Resilience, Excellence, Achievement, Compassion, and Helping the underserved, enrich our community by bringing diverse perspectives and experiences that enhance health care learning and practice. Enclosed you will find updates on Christopher Alba, the 2024-2025 recipient of the Beverly and Everod Coleman REACH Scholarship—a student whose journey and aspiration in medicine are possible because of you.
By converting student financial aid from loans to scholarships, your support significantly reduces the post-graduation debt of REACH scholars. Freed from daunting financial pressures, these students can focus on careers driven by passion and purpose. This academic year, 89 REACH scholars are benefiting from the program, which distributes funds equally among recipients and has consistently increased its per-student award to meet growing needs. Since its inception in 2017, the REACH program has awarded more than $12 million to over 150 outstanding students over the course of their four years at HMS, all thanks to philanthropy.
Your generosity is transformative—not just for these future physicians but also for the countless patients and communities they will serve. By enhancing financial aid for exceptionally talented students with genuine financial need, we help shape future leaders in medicine. Your support encourages and aids physicians who will engage our increasingly diverse patient population with empathy, compassion, and informed understanding. On behalf of the entire Harvard Medical School community, thank you for believing in our students.
Sincerely,
Bernard S. Chang AB ’93, MD, MMSc ’05
Dean for Medical Education
Harvard Medical School
Bernard S. Chang AB '93, MD, MMSc '05 | Dean for Medical Education | Daniel D. Federman, MD Professor of Neurology and Medical Education 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115 | t: (617) 432-6250 | e: Bernard_Chang@hms.harvard.edu
Christopher Alba
BS, Yale University (2020) MD, Harvard Medical School (Class of 2026)
2025 Beverly and Everod Coleman REACH Scholar MD Program (Pathways track)
Christopher Alba
Achievements and Aspirations
Christopher has been active in the Latino Medical Student Association, the Anatomy Club, the Crimson Care Collaborative, and the Hope Medical Scholars program. He published his debut first-author research paper in JAMA Health Forum with his mentor, Dr. Rishi Wadhera, MPP ’18. He aims to pursue a career in cardiology or anesthesiology, with future goals of leading quality improvement efforts and informing health policy.
Research and Community Service
After graduating from Yale, Christopher joined Massachusetts General Hospital’s Medical Practice Evaluation Center as a research assistant, conducting cost-effectiveness analyses on public health interventions. He co-founded the Mass General Brigham Post-Baccalaureate Association and engaged in community work with VoteHealth 2020, Sociedad Latina, and the Medical Reserve Corps, emphasizing his commitment to both research and community service.
Study Interest
Christopher is interested in cardiology, cardiac surgery, anesthesiology, and health policy.