St. Joseph’s University, New York nursing student Damita Smith ‘27 was awarded the Julia Cuttino Bennett Scholarship by The Julia Cuttino Bennett Foundation, a New York-based non-profit organization that works to empower and uplift the next generation of nursing students.
The organization was inspired by the life and career of the late Julia Cuttino Bennett ’78, R.N., a devoted nurse from the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn who served Harlem Hospital Center for nearly four decades across multiple roles.
Smith, a student enrolled at SJNY’s Brooklyn Campus, is the second recipient of the recently created scholarship.
Both the charitable foundation and scholarship were established in 2023 after Cuttino Bennett’s passing.
“We started the Foundation in her honor and it was really inspired by her life and career,” said Jared Bennett, Julia’s grandson and founder of the organization, who presented the scholarship to Smith at the University’s nursing simulation lab on July 23.
Not only was Julia a committed alumna of the University—graduating with B.S. in nursing—she was also a compassionate healthcare worker, helping to care for patients at the Harlem Hospital Center for 39 years. Over the span of her career, she worked as a nurses’ aide, licensed practical nurse, staff nurse, assistant head nurse, head nurse and nursing supervisor.
“What fueled my grandmother’s passion for work and service was that she really cared for people. She wanted to help society be better, and she was probably the most selfless person I knew,” Jared Bennett added. “She wanted people to have the things that they needed, and that truly inspired her. She thought about the things she didn’t have growing up, and wanted to provide them — not only for people in her community but for her family as well.”
Cuttino Bennett will be honored posthumously in October at the 5th annual SJNY’s Esse Non Videri Gala, receiving the President’s Award for Legacy of Service to Society.
The scholarship in Cuttino Bennett’s name provides financial assistance and mentorship to students who embody her values of hard work, integrity and dedication to the nursing profession. Recipients must have a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in nursing by being enrolled in or accepted to an accredited nursing program, such as St. Joseph’s. Scholarship seekers must also reside in the New York City or tri-state area and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2.
The mission set forth by the The Julia Cuttino Bennett Foundation directly aligns with the University’s pillars of integrity, intellectual rigor, spiritual depth, social responsibility and service.
Smith, who will begin her third year in SJNY’s nursing program this September, was drawn to a career in nursing after witnessing health disparities in her native country of Jamaica. Wanting to make a difference, she moved to the United States on a student visa and enrolled at St. Joseph’s University, New York. While pursuing her degree, Smith also works as a nurses’ assistant at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be awarded with this scholarship,” said Smith. “I know that I’ll be able to give back, not only to the United States but also to my community. I know my family back home are proud of me.”
