The scholarship is worth $220,000 over 4 years. The tuition debt is paid retroactive for $55,000 annually for each year of medical school tuition.

In 2026 the Foundation gave 2 new scholarships: Marissa Monazzami, DO and Julio Lopez, MD.
Xeng X. Xiong, MD received his last and Samantha Schmitz, MD, her second scholarships.

Xeng X. Xiong, MD received his last Pedro D. ILic, scholarship totaling $220,000. He continues to work for Valley Health Team in Kingsburg and neighboring towns as needed.

Samantha Schmitz, MD received her second Inspire Health Group scholarship of $55,000, she graduated in June 2026 and she is working at the Fresno Inclusive clinic in Downtown Fresno.

Julio Lopez, MD. received the James P. Zettas, MD. first scholarship of $55,000. He is a Resident of the Kaweah Delta FM Program in Visalia and is graduating in June 2027. He speaks English and Spanish and his family is from Woodland, CA.

Marissa Monazzami, DO. took the place of Sayeh Akhavan. She was awarded the Patricia A. Zettas scholarship. She received her first scholarship of $55,000 as well. She is a Resident of the UCSF Fresno FM program, graduating in June 2027. She is the Chief Resident this year. She graduated from California Health Sciences University (CHSU) inaugural class of 2024.

2025 Scholarship: Samantha Schmitz, D.O.

On July 27, 2025 The Scholarship was awarded to Samantha Schmitz, D.O., currently a 3rd year Resident of the Family and Community Practice program of UCSF Fresno. She is originally from the Midwest, did her Medical School in Iowa. She is deeply interested in helping the underserved communities and specially the LGBTQ +. She volunteers at the Fresno Inclusive Clinic in Downtown Fresno. The 2025 Scholarship has been named after the Inspire Health Group donation and Samantha is the first recipient of the Inspire Health Group Scholarship.

2024 Scholarship: SAYEH AKHAVAN, DO, MPH.

On July 21, 2024 the scholarship was awarded to Sayeh Akhavan, DO, MPH, currently a second year Pediatric resident at Valley Children’s Hospital. She
has received the first installment of the scholarship.
As a first-generation American with an Iranian father and an American mother, Sayeh brings a rich cultural perspective and an impressive academic record. She speaks basic Farsi and basic Spanish. She has lived in the Valley all her life, and she is committed to serving underserved areas in California’s Central Valley upon completing her training in 2026, demonstrating a deep dedication to improving healthcare access and outcomes for the community.
In 2025, Sayeh decided to become a Hospitalist at VCH in Madera, so she is paying back the scholarship money granted to her. We wish her the best.

2023 Scholarship: XENG X. XIONG, MD.

On July 30, 2023, the second scholarship was awarded to Xeng X. Xiong, MD, also a FM resident, from the Valley Health Team, chaired by Lydia Herrera-Mata, MD. He is from Laos and the family left on foot to reach a refugee camp in Thailand, mother, father and 7 kids.
His father passed away when he was 2 years old. Finally, they were granted asylum in the US and arrived when he was 7 years old. He became the official translator for the family and friends.
He became interested in Medicine because of that, and now he is a 3rd year resident in FM. Great history and great recipient of the scholarship.
Click here to see his acceptance speech.
His teaching videos can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/@drxengxai
We named the 2023 scholarship after Pedro Ilic, who passed away after a bad fall playing tennis about 30 years ago. The Ilic family is the main donor for this scholarship.

2024 update: Xeng graduated in June 2024 and now is working in Kingsburg and rotating in other neighborhood towns as needed. He received the second installment of the scholarship.

2022 Scholarship: TANIA ZAVALZA JIMENEZ, MD

On July 29, 2022 the Foundation awarded the first scholarship to Dr. Tania Zavalza Jimenez, M.D ., a 3rd. year Family Practice Resident from the University of California San Francisco Medical School, Fresno branch. Tania is a graduate from Ross University and her debt is over $400,000 including daily living expenses. Doctor Zavalza signed a contract committing her to work in an underserved area of the Valley for 4 years, after graduating from her Family Practice Residency. She is from the Valley and grew up in the Valley. She understands the needs of the people that lives in underserved areas, having experienced the lack of access to medical care in these areas. She speaks English and Spanish.
We are proud of Tania being selected as our first scholarship recipient, and we are looking forward to be able to help more Primary Care Doctors with their huge medical school tuition debt.

The 2022 scholarship has been named after Dr James P Zettas MD. Click here to read the speech given at the 2023 awards ceremony by his wife, Pat Zettas.

2024 update: She graduated in June 2023. She works in Parlier, and she also is a Faculty member at UCSF. She received the third installment of her scholarship.

All Photographs by Sofia Ilic

Julio Lopez, MD, receiving his first James P. Zettas, MD scholarship in 2026. He is a Kaweah Delta FM program Resident chaired by Mario Martinez, MD who presented him the scholarship check.

Marissa Monazzami, DO, receiving her first Patricia A Zettas scholarship in 2026. Pamela Kammen, MD and Duc Chung, MD from CHSU celebrating her, as she was one of the first graduating class of California Health Sciences University in 2024.

Samantha Schmitz, MD, receiving her first Inspire Health Group Scholarship in 2025. She graduated from the UCSF Fresno FM program in 2026. She works for the Inclusive Clinic downtown Fresno.

Xeng X Xiong, MD, in 2023 and in 2026 receiving his last Pedro ILIC scholarship for a total of $220,000. He graduated in 2024 and he works with Valley Health Team in Kingsburg and nearby towns as needed. Lydia Herrera Mata, MD, who chairs the FM program gave him his last check.

Tania Zavalza Jimenez, MD, receiving her first James P. Zettas, MD, scholarship in 2023, presented by Patricia A Zettas. She came from Sequim, WA, to do the award presentation. She received her last scholarship in 2025 for a total of $220,000.

In 2022 she received her first scholarship. At that time the scholarship had no name. She did work with United Health Centers in Parlier and currently works with Clinica Sierra Vista on Orange Street in addition of being UCSF Fresno Faculty.