Thursday, October 1, 2026
Touro University of Health and Sciences has presented Hewlett resident and graduate student, Yehuda Kutai, with the prestigious Maimonides Award.
Kutai, a nursing program student, was recognized by the university during the June 11 graduation ceremony of the class of 2026 at the Tilles Center with the esteemed award.
The Maimonides award, which was presented to 14 recipients this year, is a prestigious accolade that is presented to students recognized by the university for their excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.
“It’s an honor because I think that it reflects all the values that I try to bring to patient care,” Kutai said. “I bring compassion, professionalism, and a lot of dedication. I’m very honored and humbled that I was picked.”
Kutai described working in the medical field as something that has always come naturally to him, as he grew up helping his family and friends who had medical conditions and wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.
“I understand how much of even a little difference is very significant,” he said.
Kutai said he was always called the “mother” of my friends, and it led him to go into the nursing field.
Kutai described his first introduction to Touro, how he went there with little prior knowledge of the university and was blown away by it. He said the school’s positive atmosphere instantly pulled him in upon his first entrance.
“The moment I entered the building and saw the faculty, the atmosphere was so good.”
Kutai said.
“I thought about different places, but I said, this is where I’m going to study,” he added. “Even though I had to commute every day, it was worth it. The professors were phenomenal. My colleagues, my friends for life. I was able to flourish, even though it wasn’t familiar to me. It’s just an amazing experience from my nursing school.”
Marcia Jones-George, the assistant professor who nominated Kutai for the award, highlighted the graduate’s strengths in a separate interview with the Herald.
“He has a passion, a strong drive to succeed and he will go an extra step to help people,” Jones-George said. “You couldn’t ask for a better student than Yehuda.”
Now that he has graduated from Touro’s nursing program, Kutai plans to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) exam and then go on to start applying to hospitals in the area such as South Nassau, NYU Langone and Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
He said that he hopes that wherever he ends up will enable him to help improve his medical skills, help the community, and help to change people’s lives.
Kutai extended thanks to the faculty of Touro, his friends, and his family.
“It truly is an honor, and I feel very privileged to be surrounded with such people,” Kutai said. “Without them I would never have been able to make it this far. The award will serve as a reminder every day that I’m on the right path.”
