Press Releases: Southern California
January 27, 2010
Kaiser Permanente Southern California Invites Students to Apply for $300,000 in Scholarships
Over $1 Million in Forgiveness Loan Funding Also Available to Local Nursing Students
PASADENA, Calif. — High school, college, medical and nursing students can start the new year with more options to finance their higher education, thanks to more than $300,000 in scholarships and over $1 million in forgiveness loans from Kaiser Permanente. “Kaiser Permanente believes in making the community better and developing knowledge,” said Benjamin Chu, MD, president of Kaiser Permanente Southern California. “It has been a long practice for Kaiser Permanente to support scholarship programs to meet the needs of students faced with the increasing expense of pursuing their academic goals.”
Medical/osteopathic students who are entering their third or fourth year of medical school, and have demonstrated their commitment to diversity thru community service, clinical volunteerism, leadership or research are invited to apply for the Oliver Goldsmith, MD, Scholarship before the deadline on Friday, February 5. The scholarship, which totaled $60,000 in 2009, is dedicated to the promotion and advancement of culturally responsive care. Each recipient receives $5,000, mentoring with a Kaiser Permanente clinician and a four to six-week clinical rotation at a Kaiser Permanente facility. Apply online or contact Vanessa.X.Hernandez@kp.org for more information.
For nursing students, Kaiser Permanente partners with colleges and universities to build California’s nursing workforce through career ladder programs, nursing scholarships, grants to colleges, and forgivable loans. Kaiser Permanente is one of the largest employers of nurses in California and in 2009 provided $256,500 in funding from the Deloras Jones RN Scholarship program for 145 Southern California nursing students from 46 colleges to help meet expenses and complete their education. Applications for the need-based scholarships have been mailed to all BRN-approved nursing programs in California, and can be downloaded here, or for more information visit Southern California Nursing Pathways.
In addition, more than $1 million in forgivable loans and financial assistance was provided in 2009 by Kaiser Permanente for Southern California nursing students at Azusa Pacific University, California Baptist University, California State University-San Marcos, and Mount Saint Mary’s College. The loan forgiveness program guarantees that students who graduate and commit to two years of employment in an acute care Kaiser Permanente hospital facility will not have to pay back their loans. Students must contact their school’s nursing department to apply for the loan forgiveness program. Eligibility is determined by the school.
In Southern California, Kaiser Permanente’s Youth Workforce Scholarships total $6,000 for funding to the Blair High School Health Careers Academy, the Kaiser Permanente Med-COR (counseling, organizing and recruiting) high school outreach program with USC, and the USC Mexican American Alumni Association/Kaiser Permanente Dr. Fred Alexander scholarship. Contact Carolyn.C.Dallas@kp.org or the schools’ financial aid counselor for more information.
Extending assistance beyond careers in health care, the Kaiser Permanente Watts Counseling and Learning Center’s Bill Coggins Award invites high school seniors throughout the greater Watts area who are committed to community leadership and volunteerism to apply for scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,500. Applications are due March 27, 2010. For more information, email Joanne.A.Robinson@kp.org.
Also, East San Gabriel Valley high school seniors who have overcome adversity and are planning to attend a college or university are invited to apply to Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Outreach Program in Baldwin Park for the Jean Carpenter Recognition Award and scholarship. Email Diana.Rivera-Beltran@kp.org for application due date and more information.
And rounding out the scholarship programs dedicated to giving a helping hand to the students of today who will be the leaders of tomorrow, the Kaiser Permanente Asian Pacific American Network sponsors a scholarship program for students of Asian descent who plan to attend an accredited college, university, trade or technical school. Total distribution is $8,000. For application due date and more information visit www.kpapan.org.
“Kaiser Permanente scholarships can help bridge a financial gap today, but there is more,” said Diana Bontá, RN, DrPH, vice president, Public Affairs, Kaiser Permanente Southern California. “As they pursue their career goals, our scholarships can also remind these outstanding students that we believe in them and we are encouraging them to stay strong in their resolve — for themselves, their families, and their communities.”
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, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 3.3 million members in Southern California. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal 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. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.