UAB alumnus Chuck Stokes (‘83) wasn’t just an excellent and successful health care administrator. For many, he was a leader, mentor, and someone they aspired to be. Whether leading major health systems or guiding students one-on-one, Stokes had a rare gift for making people feel seen, heard, and deeply valued.
Stokes graduated from the UAB School of Health Professions with a Master of Science in Health Administration in 1983 (MSHA Class 17). His distinguished career in health administration spanned leadership roles in seven nonprofit health care organizations. After retirement in 2019, he returned to UAB as interim department chair, where he poured into students and faculty. He tragically and unexpectedly passed away in July 2024, after a brief illness.
Now, his legacy of service lives on through the Chuck Stokes Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Health Administration in the UAB School of Health Professions — a fund established by a former colleague and fellow UAB School of Health Professions alum to support future leaders in health administration and carry forward the values Stokes embodied.
The scholarship’s first donor, John Kueven (‘08 - MSHA Class 41), Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Northeast Georgia Health System, created the fund to honor the profound influence Stokes and his wife, Judy, had on his life and career in health administration.
The fund began with the aim of raising $50,000 by the end of 2025. With more than $40,000 raised, the fund has already reached 83 percent of its goal and is still climbing.
“Chuck had this uncanny ability to make you feel like you were the only person in the world when he was talking to you,” Kueven said. “You walk away from a conversation with Chuck thinking, ‘That’s who I want to be. If I could be that kind of leader, I’d be doing something right.’”
The two met when Stokes served as president of the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, Mississippi. As a UAB alum, Stokes strategically hired UAB students as residents. A young MSHA student at the time, Kueven was seeking a fellowship. He applied, interviewed, and formed a connection with Stokes that would impact him for the rest of his life.
The Chuck Stokes Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Health Administration is not just a testament to Stokes’ value on education, but also, it highlights his and Judy’s emphasis on the importance of education.
For the Kueven family, this scholarship is the best way they know how to honor the legacy of a man who both loved UAB and deeply valued education.
“This scholarship serves as a testament to the significant contributions Chuck made to UAB and to the health systems he served,” School of Health Professions Dean Andrew Butler said. “We’re grateful for his leadership and the legacy he leaves behind.”
The endowed scholarship gives preference to students who served first in a clinical role, mimicking Stokes’ career as a nurse before he began the MSHA program.
Through this scholarship, Stokes’ influence continues, empowering students who will shape the future of health care with the same compassion, integrity, and excellence he modeled so well.
“We all want to be more like Chuck,” Kueven said. “He was passionate about supporting students—and that includes financially. This scholarship is a way to fulfill Chuck’s challenge to all of us: help bring the best and brightest to UAB.”
Join us in honoring Chuck Stokes’s legacy. Support the scholarship today and invest in the next generation of health care leaders. Give here: https://go.uab.edu/stokesmemorialscholarship.
L/R: Katherine Meese, John Kueven, Michael Shabot and Chuck Stokes
