Local AU first-year Kaesha Ford paying it forward following scholarship

Augusta University first-year Kaesha Ford has accomplished quite a lot, but she is adamant that her achievements have been a group project.

Ford, who is in her first semester at AU studying nursing, was recently named one of 22 members of the Earl Woods Scholar Class of 2030 – a national needs-based scholarship that celebrates academic excellence and a commitment to community service, named in honor of golfer Tiger Woods’ father, Earl.

The scholar program is run through Woods’ TGR Foundation, an education nonprofit founded in 1996 that provides opportunity to students from under-resourced communities and empowers them to “pursue their passions through education.” Earl Woods Scholars receive a renewable scholarship, one-on-one professional mentorship, personal and professional development workshops and internship placement assistance among other services.

“What I love most is that the program seems to invest in the whole person,” Ford said. “It’s not just preparing me to graduate from college, it’s helping prepare me for the woman and professional I want to become. I feel like I’m gaining a community, mentors, experiences, and tools that I’ll be able to carry with me far beyond my college years.”

Ford is one of two inaugural Augusta-area recipients of the scholarship, which selects students from seven total regions: Augusta and Atlanta (new for 2026); Orange County and Los Angeles, California; New York; Philadelphia; and the Washington DC-Maryland-Virginia metro area.

Ford was chosen as one of those 22 elite students nationally out of nearly 1,000 applicants, and for good reason.

She was her class valedictorian and the top graduate of Richmond County‘s Westside High School this past spring. She held leadership positions at Westside, serving as National Honor Society president, as well as a member of the Superintendent Advisory Council. She has a considerable community service record throughout the Augusta area. She even got a jumpstart on her career path as a teenager, beginning work as an intern at Piedmont Augusta at 16 years old before moving into a role as a patient care technician in the obstetrics and gynecology unit.

“Kaesha Ford is truly one of the most mature, wise, and intelligent students I have ever had the privilege of working with,” said LaTonya Thomas, senior counselor at Westside High School. “What sets Kaesha apart is not simply her academic excellence, but the depth of character, purpose, and compassion she brings to everything she does.”

And yet, Ford defers credit to everyone around her in Augusta.

“I don’t see my accomplishments as something I achieved alone,” Ford said. “My faith, my family, my mom, my mentors, my teachers, and the people who have believed in me have all played a role in getting me here.”

“Healthcare almost has its own language. Sometimes, watching my family try to understand diagnoses, procedures, and everything that comes with navigating healthcare can be a lot. I want to be someone who can not only provide care but also help families understand what is happening when they may feel overwhelmed.”

– Kaesha Ford, AU first-year nursing student

Ford is originally from Danville, Virginia, and moved to Augusta in the fifth grade. While the area has afforded her opportunity, it has also brought heartbreak. Her father, Kaseem Ford, was killed in a car accident when she was 12 years old.

“I could have allowed that loss to become my sorrowful story, but instead, it became part of the reason I go so hard today,” Ford said. “I’m grateful for the support of my mama, Lakesha White, who has always encouraged me to keep going and become everything I’m capable of being.”

Ford’s interest in the nursing field – specifically to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) – stems from growing up with a family that faced numerous health challenges.

“Healthcare almost has its own language,” Ford said. “Sometimes, watching my family try to understand diagnoses, procedures, and everything that comes with navigating healthcare can be a lot. I want to be someone who can not only provide care but also help families understand what is happening when they may feel overwhelmed.”

Augusta University was an easy choice and not merely because of its proximity. AU’s reputation and status as the state’s health sciences university was an easy selling point for Ford in her quest to become a nurse.

“AU’s strong NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) pass rates, diverse program options, and emphasis on career preparation and job placement were all important factors for me,” Ford said. “I wanted to attend a university where I could receive a strong academic foundation while also gaining meaningful hands-on experience. Being able to pursue that education right here in Augusta, a community that has become home to me, makes it even more meaningful.”

Before beginning her studies at AU this fall, Ford joined the other Earl Woods Scholars for a retreat in Anaheim, California, where scholars can meet each other and also begin their one-to-one mentorship relationships.

“The retreat was a really meaningful experience because it gave us an opportunity to get to know the other scholarship recipients beyond just our accomplishments. One thing that really stood out to me was how important it is to surround yourself with like-minded people,” Ford said. “Everyone came from different backgrounds and had different experiences, but we shared a common desire to grow, serve, and most importantly, make an impact. It was also refreshing to be around people who understood the excitement and pressure that can come with being a high achieving student.”

TGR lists a “commitment to community service” among its criteria for selecting Earl Woods Scholars, and Ford says she has continued her service throughout her first semester at AU by speaking to younger students or volunteering time at shelters and community organizations. To that commitment to service, Ford credits her healthcare experience.

“My healthcare experience has also taught me that service can be as simple as listening, helping someone feel comfortable, or being present during a difficult moment,” Ford said. “For me, community service isn’t just something to put on a résumé. It’s about using my time and experiences to make a positive impact wherever I can.”

“Someone saw potential in me and decided it was worth investing in. Now I want to make that investment count.”

– Kaesha Ford, AU first-year nursing student

Despite her sterling resume at her young age, Ford is focused on making these investments worth something in the end.

“I lost my dad at 12, but I refuse to let the hardest thing that has happened to me define the rest of my story,” Ford said. “Instead, I’ve allowed it to remind me that life is precious, time matters, and I have a purpose bigger than myself. I want to make my family proud, honor the people who have poured into me, and use every opportunity I’m given to make an impact.

“Someone saw potential in me and decided it was worth investing in,” Ford said. “Now I want to make that investment count.”