The Thomas Edison State University Foundation received a $15,000 grant from the Novartis US Foundation in support of its Building the Future Healthcare and Science Workforce through STEM Education Scholarships.

The support from this grant will help students who are enrolled in STEM degree programs in the University’s Heavin School of Arts, Sciences and Technology, and/or students who are enrolled in one of the nursing degree programs in TESU’s W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing. The $15,000 grant from the Novartis US Foundation will enable the University to provide scholarships for up to 15 students who are enrolled in STEM or nursing degree programs and who demonstrate financial need and hardships, particularly those from disadvantaged or minority backgrounds.

“We are truly grateful to the Novartis US Foundation for its support of our vital mission to provide education to these healthcare heroes,” said Dr. Filomela “Phyllis” Marshall, dean, W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing. “The grant will enable our nursing students to continue their education while serving the community during this difficult time.”

The grant will also allow TESU to maximize the ability of the scholarship recipients to continue their STEM or nursing studies and to graduate in a timely manner by offering support to those who display the greatest financial needs and the highest quality academic performance, and to provide scholarship recipients with needed advisement, support services and community referrals during their academic journeys, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis.

Through the Novartis US Foundation, Novartis supports programs at national and local nonprofit organizations aimed at enhancing access to healthcare, addressing implicit bias and increasing diversity in the healthcare workforce, as well as efforts to address social determinants of health in local communities.

“Trust between patients and their healthcare providers help contribute to better overall health outcomes, and a key component of building that trust is having a diverse healthcare workforce that reflects the patient populations they serve,” said Thomas Kendris, US country president and chairman of Novartis US Foundation. “The Novartis US Foundation is proud to support STEM education efforts such as the Thomas Edison State University that enable aspiring doctors, nurses and scientists from diverse backgrounds pursue their career goals.”

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