Ryan Elliott, Scholarship Recipient

“In receiving this scholarship, I feel that my life’s work and ultimately my legacy, will be intimately tied to Elena’s legacy.”

--M1 Ryan Elliott, recipient of the Elena Franklin Memorial Class of 1981 Scholarship
Funded by the generosity of Dr. Jay ’81 and Mrs. Ana Franklin in memory of their daughter

When first-year medical student Ryan Elliott graduated from college with a degree in communications and a minor in psychology, his next step wasn’t medical school. As a non-traditional student, he spent several years working as a youth minister, tutor and financial advisor before taking the leap and enrolling at the College of Medicine in 2010.

Elliott says that working with youth is more than a job—it’s a passion.

“I have always felt a special connection with young people,” he says. “I believe my life’s calling is to work toward making a difference in their lives.”

Funded by the generosity of Dr. Jay ’81 and Mrs. Ana Franklin in memory of their daughter, the Elena Franklin Memorial Scholarship does more than offset the cost of medical school, it connects Elliott to something greater than himself.

“Having the Elena Franklin Memorial Scholarship reminds me of why I’m in medical school,” he says. “My education, my career and my work will become an extension of Elena’s legacy, and the impact of my life, both professional and personally, will be another chapter written in her legacy.”

And the Franklins’ gift doesn’t stop there. Dr. and Mrs. Franklin currently serve as the co-chairs of the College of Medicine Rapport Society, an organization of local and statewide supporters and alumni who raise money for scholarships and serve as ambassadors for the College of Medicine.

Click to find out more about scholarships or the Rapport Society.