Buffalo, NY – For the second time in a year, Canisius University is a recipient of a grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. The $330,000 grant will be directed to the recently established Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program. Specifically, the funding will support the program’s goal to boost diversity in the allied health workforce across Western New York by providing scholarships to students from diverse backgrounds who pursue PA graduate degrees at Canisius. Those students awarded scholarships are:
- Sophia Poppert Alvarez
- Nadia Blanchard
- Eryn Brosha
- Kalifala Fane
- Hannah Huang
- Alice Merci Iradukunda
- Marie-Pierre Mfuamba Mukendi
Earlier this year, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation awarded Canisius a $767,000 grant. The grant supported the program’s early development and provided scholarships to underserved minority groups who enrolled in the PA program at Canisius.
“The generous support Canisius has received from the Mother Cabrini Foundation is helping the college to change the healthcare landscape of the region,” said Program Director Aimee Larson, DMSc, PA-C. “Our PA curriculum is focused on primary care with a special interest in meeting the needs of the underserved. With these grants, Canisius is able to educate practitioners who are more racially and ethnically representative of the patients they serve.”
Canisius University welcomed its first cohort of 30 students to the PA program in January 2021. New cohorts enter the 27-month master’s degree program each spring. The program builds on the strong foundation of the college’s pre-medical and general science programs, and leverages partnerships with local hospitals and health systems. The curriculum includes clinical assignments and service learning requirements in underserved communities to provide students with early exposure to vulnerable communities, and the social and medical issues that affect patient care and health outcomes of patients from diverse socioeconomic, religious and cultural backgrounds.
To learn more about the master of science in Physician Assistant Studies or to apply, Email @email, call 716-888-8550 or click here. Take a virtual tour of the state-of-the-art instructional and laboratory space here.
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of targeted communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named in memory of a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation provides flexible support for new and innovative approaches that enhance health and wellness across New York State. For more information, visit https://www.cabrinihealth.org/.
Canisius University is one of 27 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York. Canisius prepares leaders – intelligent, caring, faithful individuals – able to pursue and promote excellence in their professions, their communities and their service to humanity.
