African-American Students Pursuing Careers in Health Care Win $40,000 in Scholarships from the United Health Foundation and PacifiCare Foundation

-- Additional $20,000 in scholarship funds donated to the Tom Joyner and Tavis Smiley foundations

-- Sixty $250 honorariums awarded with support from UnitedHealth Group's Ovations business

Twenty African-American students pursuing health care careers wereeach awarded a $2,000 scholarship by the United Health Foundation andPacifiCare Foundation to pursue educational opportunities leading tocareers in the health care industry.

The scholarships are offered on behalf of the African AmericanScholars Program. In order to qualify for a scholarship, applicantswere required to demonstrate a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or "B"average and reside and/or attend schools in California, Georgia,Maryland and Texas for the 2006-2007 school year.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, AfricanAmericans comprise 13 percent of the U.S. population but only about 6percent of all matriculating students in medical schools in thecountry. The fact that African Americans are under-represented inacademic programs leading to careers in the health industry mayultimately affect the quality and delivery of health care in theAfrican-American community, according to Reed Tuckson, M.D., seniorvice president of Consumer Health and Medical Care Advancement atUnitedHealth Group.

"Instead of simply talking about the statistics affecting ouryoung people, we are doing something about this issue by creating newways to support our future doctors, researchers and clinicians," saidDr. Tuckson, who is also a former president of a minority academichealth university. "We have to work hard today to improve healthwithin the African-American community for tomorrow, and what betterway of doing that than encouraging our young people to reach theircareer goals and fulfill their dreams."

According to Corliss Hill, director of development forUnitedHealthcare's Generations of Wellness, the high caliber ofstudents who applied for scholarships inspired Ovations, the divisionof UnitedHealth Group that provides health and well-being services toAmericans age 50 and older, to contribute an additional $15,000 to thescholars program fund. The added support enabled the United HealthFoundation and PacifiCare Foundation to award honorariums in theamount of $250 each to 60 additional deserving students who appliedfor the scholarships. In addition, Generations of Wellness contributedan additional $20,000 to the Tom Joyner Foundation (www.tomjoyner.com)and the Tavis Smiley Foundation (www.youthtoleaders.org) to help fundtheir respective scholarship programs.

"In our first year offering scholarships, we have seen so muchenthusiasm for African American Scholars - not only among applicantsbut also in the African-American community and UnitedHealthcare'semployees as well," said Hill. "We believe the academic excellence andpassion for helping others exemplified by our applicants will make atremendous impact in serving the health care needs of AfricanAmericans. We feel gratified that we are making a positive differencein the lives of these deserving youths who are beginning their journeytoward realizing their academic and professional aspirations."

About United Health Foundation

United Health Foundation is an independent not-for-profitfoundation solely funded by UnitedHealth Group. The Foundationprovides information to physicians and other health professionals,individuals and communities to support health and medical decisionsthat lead to better health outcomes and healthier communities. Forfurther information, please visit www.unitedhealthfoundation.org.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Complete list of 2006 African American ScholarsProgram scholarship winners is listed below.

United Health Foundation & PacifiCare Foundation
------------------------------------------------
African American Scholars Program
2006 Scholarship Winners
(listed by each winner's home state, (a) unless otherwise indicated)


California

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Residence College Major
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashley Brantley Riverside California State Nursing
University Long
Beach
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jessica Dunn Fresno UC Berkeley Biochemical &
Molecular Biology
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tanika Powers San Diego San Diego City Nursing
College
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Brittany-Arpel Elk Grove Sacramento State Mathematics/Pre-Med
Sainte Thomas University
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Joan Tillman Oakland San Francisco State Nursing
University
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chisom Uzosike San Leandro Chabot College Nursing
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Janice Vann La Palma Mt. St. Mary's Nursing
College
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Georgia

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Residence College Major
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Zenobia Janel Marietta Oxford College of Biology/Pre-Med
Bryant Emory University
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Earl Stewart, Jr. Augusta Mercer University Biological
Sciences/Pre-Med
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Kristen Tillerson Newport News, Spelman College, Mathematics/Pre-Med
Va.(a) Ga.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Maryland

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Residence College Major
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Vanessa Bowling Bethesda Morgan State Biology/Pre-Med
University
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Marika Ware Baltimore Morgan State Psychology
University
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Texas

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Residence College Major
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bettina Brown San Antonio St. Philip's College Radiography
Technology
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jonathan Coffield Garland Baylor University Pre-Med
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jessica Edwards Cedar Hill Texas Southern Biology/Pre-Med
University
----------------------------------------------------------------------
RaKetra Knight Texarkana Clark Atlanta Chemistry/Pre-Med
University
----------------------------------------------------------------------
David Morris Mesquite University of Tulsa Biochemistry/Pre-
Med
----------------------------------------------------------------------
David Reeves DeSoto Texas A&M University Speech
Communications
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nicholas Robinson Plano University of Pre-Pharmacy
Oklahoma
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Rickesha Wilson Fort Worth Baylor University Biology (Pre-Med)
----------------------------------------------------------------------