St. Elizabeth Healthcare has provided a gift of $2.5 million to support a tuition scholarship program for the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Northern Kentucky. Through this gift, scholarships will be awarded to medical students enrolled at the Northern Kentucky campus, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2019.
The affiliation between the University of Kentucky, Northern Kentucky University and St. Elizabeth Healthcare was announced in February.
Garren Colvin, President and CEO, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, presents a $2.5 million check to University of Kentucky officials for a scholarship program for students in the UK College of Medicine – Northern Ky. Campus. (photo provided)
This scholarship program is the next step in the development of a regional medical college in Northern Kentucky.
“In providing these scholarships, we are making an enormous investment in the future of the health of our community,” said Garren Colvin, St. Elizabeth President and CEO. “With our partnership with the University of Kentucky, we will be able to provide additional benefits to both organizations as well as the region and Commonwealth by directly assisting in medical school support and recruitment for the Northern Kentucky campus.”
These scholarships will be provided to those medical students while enrolled at the Northern Kentucky campus, and while meeting the following criteria:
• Enrolled as medical students at the University of Kentucky Northern Kentucky campus
• Meet the college’s financial need requirements
• Remain in good academic standing and progress toward completion of the MD degree
• Maintain continuous, full-time enrollment at the Northern Kentucky campus
Garren Colvin (Tribune photo)
“This scholarship program, seeds sown in ground made fertile by a willingness to care for others, will ripple through many generations of health practitioners,” said University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto.
“We are grateful to St. Elizabeth’s leadership and the donors who support this remarkable gift, one that will directly support medical students, and ultimately the patients whose names the donors may never know. That is the highest form of giving, and it is the highest honor we can receive as a partner in this endeavor.”
Capilouto lauded the value of the regional partnerships UK is building, saying “much more can be accomplished together than we can ever do alone.”
He and Colvin agreed on the critical need for primary care physicians across Kentucky.
Colvin said the scholarships show the hospital’s commitment to the partnership and to the community. His goal is to make NKY among the healthiest communities in the nation.
Increasing the number of physicians in Kentucky will increase the healthcare access for residents, which will improve the health of Kentuckians. Kentucky leads the nation in cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease rates. Kentucky ranks 6th in heart disease, 7th in diabetes, and 8th in stroke.
A crowd gathered for the announcement at the St. E Technology Education Center in Erlanger, where the UK board was holding committee meetings on Thursday. (Tribune photo)
From UK and staff reports
You may want to see this NKyTribune story: UK announces partnership for regional med school in NKY
