Kaiser Permanente has announced the launch of its 2021 Health Equity Scholarship Program, which aims to develop healthier communities by helping young leaders, particularly those in underrepresented communities, achieve their dreams of going to college and pursuing careers in the healthcare field. Graduating high school seniors in the mid-Atlantic can apply for one of 60 $5,000-scholarships, administered through the United Negro College Fund and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, now through May 15, 2021. Scholarship recipients will be announced August 23, 2021.
“At Kaiser Permanente, we believe that everyone should have access to high-quality, equitable health care,” said Tonga Turner, interim executive director of Community Health at Kaiser Permanente. “To realize that vision, we must invest in developing culturally competent, diverse health care providers that represent all communities. We’re proud to offer the Health Equity Scholarship Program to students from underrepresented communities and improve equitable access to education and health care.”
Scholarships will be awarded to graduating high school seniors who have been accepted to an accredited, public or not-for-profit, four-year university or community college for the 2021 through 2022 academic school year. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 weighted scale and demonstrate an interest in pursuing a clinical (physician, pharmacist, practitioner, nurse) or nonclinical (accounting, business administration, finance, human resources, marketing, operations, public policy) career in the health care industry. Preference will be given to students with demonstrated financial need and/or students from underrepresented communities.
Recognizing that education is critical to a healthy, thriving community, the Health Equity Scholarship Program is part of Kaiser Permanente’s larger Workforce Development and College and Career Readiness Strategy which seeks to provide students with exposure to careers in health care and STEM through internships, mentoring and shadowing opportunities. Kaiser Permanente has already sent communications to 80 collaborator schools across the Mid-Atlantic region to help attract applicants for the scholarship program.
“I highly applaud Kaiser Permanente’s efforts to increase the pipeline of diverse individuals for the health workforce,” said Kim Dobson Snydor, PhD, dean of the School of Community Health and Policy at Morgan State University, which has collaborated with Kaiser Permanente on several community health initiatives related to equity and education. “In creating and expanding these scholarship opportunities, the doors are further opened for students to move into health careers they may not otherwise have envisioned for themselves. We are excited to work with Kaiser Permanente to support this important program.”
To learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s Health Equity Scholarship Program and to apply, visit kp-health-equity-scholars.hsfts.net.
Application Timeline:
April 15, 2021: Phase I applications open.
May 15, 2021: Phase I applications due.
June 4, 2021: Finalists announced. Phase II applications open.
June 30, 2021: Phase II applications due.
August 23, 2021: Scholarship recipients announced.
September to October 2021: Recipient enrollment verification.
Fall 2021/Spring 2022: Financial awards disbursed.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.4 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/
