The Foundation for Colorado Community Colleges has received a $1 million, 15-year endowment from Kaiser Permanente.
The Kaiser Permanente Colorado Equity Scholarship Fund will support students who are enrolled in a health sciences degree program and who are Black, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, Hispanic, Native American, LBGTQI, have disabilities, or are US veterans. The scholarship will be awarded to at least 28 students yearly and is determined by financial need.
“With the establishment of this scholarship fund… our students with diverse perspectives and strengths will be able to…move into health care careers with fewer obstacles in their way,” said Joe Garcia, chancellor of the CCC.
Roughly 40% of CCC’s credentials are in the field of health sciences. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2026, the United States will have four million new health care jobs.
The CCC serves over 125,000 students across the state. The amount of those students who are of color, first generation, refugees or veterans has increased every year.
Applications for the scholarship will open in 2022.