Dr Rakesh Gupra and Dr Vinita Gupta, an Indian-origin doctor couple and philanthropists, donated $500,000 to the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine. The university said that $100,000 out of the entire sum will be available immediately as merit scholarships for matriculating students in 2026 and 2027. The remaining $400,000 is invested as endowed Enrichment Scholarships and awarded to students meeting the stated criteria at the end of their first year of medical school.
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The Guptas call the Fayetteville community in North Carolina their home and they have been embedded in community services for decades. Methodist University is a private university in Fayetteville and the Guptas served the university board for years. Dr Rakesh Gupta was one of the members who helped conceptualize the School of Medicine.
The university honored Rakesh Gupta with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and Vinita Gupta with the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award for their continuous act of generosity. These awards, which have been presented since 1925, honor community members who exemplify noble character and hearts of humble servants, and who place service before self-interest.
“They have been generous benefactors to MU, including a recent very large scholarship gift to the School of Medicine. They are also two of the kindest and most welcoming people I know," Methodist University president Stanley T Wearden said.
