Augusta University President Brooks Keel has recently presented the John F. Beard Award to a newly graduated physician assistant for his caring nature.
Funded by philanthropists William Porter “Billy” Payne – the immediate past chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club – and his wife, Martha, the $40,000 award is given annually to a graduating student who exemplifies care and compassion in health care.
Established in 1998, the Beard Award was created in honor of Payne’s father-in-law, who died of cancer in 1997, in addition to President Emeritus Francis J. Tedesco and Beard’s physician Mark F. Williams, a 1988 MCG graduate who treated Beard during his hospitalization.
Award candidates are chosen from the College of Allied Health Sciences, Medical College of Georgia, College of Nursing or the Graduate School.
Known for being a compassionate caregiver who always puts patients first, Kendrick De Castro was selected as this year’s winner.
Wellstar MCG Health physician assistant Melania Velasquez, who taught De Castro and worked alongside him during his OB/GYN rotation, said the 2024 Beard Award recipient goes above and beyond to anticipate patients’ needs and to make them as comfortable as possible.
“He shows sincere care and interest, and holds the patient as the priority,” she said.
Elizabeth Prince-Coleman, program director and assistant professor in the Physician Assistant Department at AU’s College of Allied Health Sciences, said De Castro’s friendliness and genuine bedside manner has quickly made him a favorite among many patients.
“His professional and caring connection to patients has eased patient reservations and also comforted children through traumatic procedures,” she said. “He goes beyond the expectations of a student in clinical services, offering help with patient transport; ensuring routine care like IV removal does not interfere with quality-of-life needs such as meal time; and writing down medication names for patients – unsolicited – to help them navigate the pharmacy.”
Originally from the metro Atlanta area, De Castro earned his Bachelor of Science in biology from Georgia State University prior to starting his schooling at AU. He is also licensed as a pharmacy technician and is proficient in English, Spanish and Tagalog, a Filipino language.
In addition to highlighting patients’ experiences as a priority, Prince-Coleman, the 2015 Beard Award recipient, also said De Castro works diligently with the student volunteer clinics to serve populations often marginalized in society and the health care system.
“He works to understand the challenges patients face not only with medical symptoms, but also the barriers to better health from other aspects of their lives,” she said.
De Castro can oftentimes be found volunteering in several clinics, including the Equality Clinic, Faithcare Clinic and Clı́nica Latina.
“Kendrick’s actions and interactions with patients reflect a genuine concern for their physical, social and emotional well-being,” said Tiana Brown, Clinica Latina coordinator. “He has a unique gift for making patients feel heard and valued in the medical decision-making process, and he connects with them on a personal level.”
Beyond De Castro’s interactions with patients, he has also created a positive and uplifting culture within his cohort, according to an AU press release.
“Kendrick emerged as the light and the compass of our class,” said classmate Ellie Pontiakos. “He would go out of his way to send uplifting messages each day to the group. He provided positivity and comfort in a period of newness and anxiety.”
Fellow classmate Amber A. Garrett agreed with Pontiakos’ sentiments and said De Castro was an “extraordinary character” from the very start of the Physician Assistant program, known immediately for his “authenticity, compassion and kindness.”
“Within the first week of knowing him, our cohort made the unanimous decision to appoint him as our class president, a role he has embraced with unwavering dedication,” she said.
Serving as class president, De Castro acted as the liaison between faculty and his classmates while providing support to his cohort. From his daily messages to his ability to connect with anyone, multiple AU faculty said De Castro has been a pillar of support for patients and classmates.
“His ability to prioritize the needs of others above his own, even in the midst of adversity, speaks volumes about his character and commitment to compassionate service,” said Amanda Breeden, an assistant professor and De Castro’s academic adviser.
With De Castro announced as this year’s winner, university faculty boast of this being a second consecutive year that a graduate in the College of Allied Health Sciences has received the prestigious AU award.
“[De Castro] will be a great blessing to his future patients, not only in the care and compassion he provides directly to them, but also in the care and compassion I know he will invest in the entire team around him,” said Prince-Coleman.
