Despite Tough Economy, Donors Continue to Fund Student and Faculty Education

Despite the economic recession and a competitive climate for grants, Samuel Merritt University (SMU) has been successful in securing more than $1,250,000 in recent funding. 

"With a focus on broadening philanthropic support and increasing non-tuition resources, the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, the Office of Academic Affairs, and several faculty and staff members have been working together to advance this institutional strategic priority," explains Sue Sylvester, Executive Director of Development and Alumni Affairs.  "Especially in the current tight funding climate that we and all grant-seeking organizations face, the entire SMU community should take pride in our achievement."

Michael De Rosa, MPH, PhD, PA-C, Chair of the Physician Assistant Department and assistant professor, was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development's (OSHPD) Song-Brown program.  The program represents a vision of "Equitable Healthcare Accessibility for California."  The Song-Brown grant is intended to help increase the presence of physician assistants in the delivery of public mental health.  It will fund a two year program benefiting nearly 20 SMU students in the Master Physician Assistant (MPA) program.  Dr. De Rosa will share the funding with the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center where some SMU students will provide medication evaluation and practice techniques on adolescents with high levels of distress and acute psychiatric symptoms.   

"I have a lot of students who are interested in pediatrics, high-acuity medicine, and want to work in underserved community settings," explains Dr. De Rosa.  "By working at the JJC and with this grant, physician assistant students will be able to fulfill that training.  It could also lead to more job opportunities for students when they graduate this December."

School of Nursing faculty and the Development Office collaborated on a grant proposal to The San Francisco Foundation to improve the success, retention, and graduation rates of students who are under-represented in the nursing field with a focus on African American and Hispanic/Latino nursing students.  The $150,000 grant will span three years, providing $50,000 each year for a part time faculty Director of Diversity who will implement targeted activities. 

To complement the San Francisco Foundation grant, Audrey Berman, PhD, RN, Dean, School of Nursing (SoN) and professor, received a $100,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing program to provide scholarships for new Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) students from underrepresented groups in nursing or disadvantaged backgrounds.  Specific activities have been identified to recruit, retain, and develop these students.  The Director of Diversity will participate with staff and offices to facilitate the accomplishment of those activities once students are enrolled. 

Academic Vice President and Provost, Scot Foster, PhD, believes that both grants are of tremendous value to the University and the School of Nursing. 

"Funding provides a much needed service to students from underrepresented communities to help them not only adjust, but prosper," says Dr. Foster. "It is the goal of our University to better reflect the rich cultural mix of Bay Area communities by sponsoring student services to develop, retain and nurture students of color."

In April, the University received formal notification from The Bernard Osher Foundation that a grant of $1,000,000 had been awarded to establish an endowed scholarship fund benefiting undergraduate nursing students.  In addition, a bridge grant of $50,000 was awarded to provide scholarships in the next few months.  From the endowment fund, each year a minimum of $50,000 will be awarded to ten or more students who demonstrate financial need and academic promise.  Helping students earn a bachelor's degree, and meeting the nursing shortage are two main objectives of the Bernard Osher Foundation. 

"Students who are bit older often have family and financial obligations greater than those of traditional students and at the same time reentry students regularly receive less financial aid support," says Andy Lynch, program officer for The Bernard Osher Foundation.  "We have been providing grants of $48,000 every year to SMU since 2006 and have been very pleased with the students who have been selected and their graduation rates.  Establishing an endowment fund at the University will ensure these scholarships are available every year."

Many would agree that fundraising takes the collaborative effort of many people working together. 

"We have begun to work together in a more systematic way to reduce the University's reliance on tuition and fees and alleviate the financial burdens of our students," says Sylvester.  "In the future we look forward to supporting the faculty with grant opportunities that support their research and efforts to develop educational programming for our students."

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