LATROBE, PA – Two incoming freshmen recently earned the inaugural Dr. Vinh-Linh Nguyen Award for Excellence in Faith and Academics, a competitive merit-based scholarship that will cover net tuition, room and board costs at Saint Vincent College starting in fall 2026.
Caitlin Coletti, a Greensburg Central Catholic (GCC) Junior-Senior High School (Hempfield Township) graduate, and Lauren Kelley, a Trinity Academy Meadow View (Falls Church, Virginia) graduate, are the first winners of the award reserved for high-achieving undergraduate nursing students. Coletti is a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Irwin; Kelley is a member of Saint Timothy Catholic Church in Chantilly, Virginia.
“Saint Vincent College is thrilled to award these life-changing scholarships to these first two students, and many more in the future,” said Father Paul Taylor, O.S.B., C’87, S’91, PhD, president of Saint Vincent College. “Dr. Nguyen is very close with the Saint Vincent monastic community, spending a few years as a member of the community early in his life. His love for God and for the healing of people are preeminent in his life. This scholarship fund concretely unites faith and reason, science and religion, affirming that they are not in conflict, but rather complementary of each other, always seeking the truth.”
Coletti, the daughter of Anthony and Christine Coletti, aspired at a young age for a career in medicine but initially thought she wanted to become a doctor. Coletti enrolled in an Anatomy and Physiology class in high school which ended up being her most favorite class; she later scheduled a course called Medical Perspectives, which opened her eyes to a potential career in nursing and, eventually, serving as a nurse practitioner.
“I was still stuck between the two and was either going to do a biology major or nursing,” Coletti said. “I was praying about it a lot, and I think the scholarship was the answer to my prayers. I think nursing is the right path.”
Coletti is no stranger to the Saint Vincent College campus, having been a previous participant in the Future Masters of Medicine program while in high school.
“That helped me see the opportunities that the College provides,” she said, adding that she was also attracted to Saint Vincent as a Catholic liberal arts college rooted in the Benedictine tradition. “I went to a Catholic school and I really loved it, so I’m hoping to get involved in Campus Ministry when I get to Saint Vincent.”
Coletti was a member of the Science National Honor Society chapter at GCC, serving as its treasurer. She is also a member of the Squire Roses, a youth sorority run by individual state councils within the Knights of Columbus. She volunteers at her parish with Vacation Bible School, Youth Group and similar initiatives.
Kelley, the daughter of Matthew and Andrea Kelley, said she first became interested in nursing after attending a mission trip to Washington, DC, during Holy Week. She spent time with her peers walking the streets of the nation’s capital meeting people and engaging in meaningful conversations. Through these interactions, the Trinity Academy graduate recognized the complexity and uniqueness involved in each person’s life.
“Everyone carries different struggles and pains, and sometimes all someone needs is a person who cares and is willing to listen,” Kelley said. The experience helped her learn the power of compassion and presence and inspired her to pursue nursing as a means to care for others and positively impact lives.
“I'm extremely thankful for this scholarship and the support it provides as I pursue a career in nursing,” she added.
Kelley is an avid swimmer and a member of teams at the high school and club levels. She anticipates participating as a member of the Bearcats swimming team for the 2026-27 season.
Nguyen, who currently serves as medical director of Blood and Cancer Therapeutics in Bakersfield, California, in late 2025 provided a significant gift of over $3 million to the College to help create the award.
It is renewable for up to four years per student at the College and supports two incoming freshmen in fall 2026. That figure will increase by two incoming freshmen each subsequent year to a maximum of eight students per year for the next 10 years.
The scholarship award is given in addition to any federal or state grants that a student may receive. All applicants must apply for federal and state grants for which they may be eligible.
In addition to being a full-time undergraduate nursing major, the award is reserved for incoming Saint Vincent College students who are practicing Catholics in good standing and who regularly attend Mass.
To be considered for the scholarship award, academic merit is also essential. For incoming freshmen, the two students with the highest academic merit (as measured by GPA and test scores) will be selected. Applicants must also submit a letter of good standing from their parish pastor or equivalent ecclesial authority. Students who have obtained the scholarship must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher throughout their time at Saint Vincent to be eligible to retain it.
Students interested in the award must apply and be accepted into the College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Students and families interested in the scholarship can direct any questions to admission@stvincent.edu or 800-782-5549, Ext. 2500.
In addition to enjoying a successful medical career in California, Nguyen possesses a strong commitment to Catholic, Benedictine values, which stems from his childhood in Vietnam as well as his time spent at Saint Vincent discerning his life’s vocation, a process that led him to follow God’s calling to attend medical school and pursue a career in healthcare.
