LOS ANGELES, July 30, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science has been awarded $11.5 million over five years by the Department of Education as part of its Title III, Part B, "Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions" program.
According to University President, Dr. Susan Kelly, "This grant will enhance and strengthen the University's ability to create 'the Charles Drew Graduate' -- a health professional who is caring and compassionate in all endeavors, competent to fulfill his/her professional responsibilities, culturally sensitive to the needs of underserved populations, excellently trained with high standards of performance in their profession, and well-rounded in the social and academic sciences."
The Charles Drew University has embarked on a period of accelerated growth, with the introduction of new graduate programs such as the Master's of Public Health in Urban Public Health, and the planned School of Nursing, as well as the expansion of existing programs such as the Medical Education Program which trains physicians to provide care to the urban underserved.
"We have had an incredible month with two major funding awards -- the Title III and the NCRR grant to launch a national Translational Research Network with the University's Dr. Keith Norris as its leader. These will allow the university to further enhance research while strengthening the support, services and excellent training it provides our predominantly minority student body," Dr. Kelly added.
"This Title III award," said Richard W. Lindstrom, MA, Director of Academic Computing, The Charles Drew University, "will complement our focus on The Charles Drew Graduate whose core values reaffirm the University mission and drive the educational programs, policies, and practices at the University."
Title III, Part B, a U.S. Department of Education funded program, helps eligible institutions to expand their capacity to improve and strengthen the academic quality, student services, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions. In compliance with U.S. government regulations, sixty-three percent (63%) of the total costs of the program will be financed with this federal grant of $11,719,330; and thirty-seven percent (37%) of the total costs of program ($7,004,831) will be financed by the University with non-governmental sources.
The Charles Drew University in South Los Angeles is the only university in the nation that is designated as both a Historically Black Graduate Institution and a Hispanic Serving Health Professions School. It is also the only Historically Black Graduate institution west of the Mississippi-created from the ashes of the Watts Rebellion in 1965. Since then the University has graduated over 500 medical doctors, 2,500 specialist physicians, 2,000 physician assistants and hundreds of other, mainly minority health professionals, the vast majority of who are still serving the people in greatest need a decade or more later.
These grants and the recent Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) confirmation of continuing regional accreditation of the university-the gold standard of accreditation in higher education, have been a great validation for a University which has encountered many challenges.
"It has been quite a memorable and uplifting month," said President Kelly. "Our faculty, staff and supporters have done an amazing job in achieving such progress for the University."
ABOUT THE CHARLES DREW UNIVERSITY:
The Charles Drew University is a private non-profit educational institution located in the Watts-Willowbrook area of South Los Angeles. The University has trained over five thousand college, graduate and post-graduate students since 1971 and has emerged as a national model for educating highly trained and committed physicians and other healthcare professionals who provide quality care to medically underserved communities. Research shows both that its students become more committed to the mission as they progress through their educational experience, and that 10 years after graduation 70% of Charles Drew University trained physicians are still working in underserved communities, a rate three times the national average. Charles Drew University is also widely regarded for its innovative research to eliminate health disparities. For more information, visit http://www.cdrewu.edu