People of color represent more than 25 percent of the total U.S. population, but only 10 percent of the country’s health care professionals. A new scholarship funded by the CVS Health Foundation and managed by the United Negro College Fund, Inc. (UNCF) hopes to improve that balance. Healthy Communities News spoke to those who helped launch the effort and students who rely on scholarships to help them complete their education.
“We know that representation matters and we’re very encouraged that these scholarships will make a difference,” said David Casey. That’s certainly true for Kendra Thomas, who’s working to complete her doctorate in Pharmacy at The Ohio State University. “Knowing that I had that support was really just a weight lifted off my shoulders,” she said.
For the CVS Health Foundation, collaborating with UNCF was an easy decision. “They understand the pressures these kids are facing, the economic challenges that they’re facing, and they find new ways to not only provide for that education, but to give them a support system as they go through the educational process.”
In the latest podcast episode – see the links below or search Healthy Communities News wherever you listen to podcasts – we also spoke with Kofi Ansah, who is earning his Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Idaho State University. Kofi, who was born in Ghana, has been working two to three jobs each week and still had to dip into his 401k to pay for his tuition.
Applications for the CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship are being accepted until April 1, 2021. Think you or a loved one might qualify? Check out the requirements on the CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship 2021's webpage.