By Tierra Stone
@tierrastone@afro.com
By Lizzie Suber
@lizziesuber@afro.com
AFRO Interns
Bloomberg Philanthropies recently unveiled a $175 million donation to the Howard University College of Medicine (HUCM), marking a major milestone in the school’s history.
“This is a transformational gift, not only for its impact on cultivating the next generation of health professionals, but for its visionary investment in the intergenerational wealth and health of our medical students and the communities they will serve,” said Howard University President Ben Vinson III, Ph.D., in a statement.
This gift will allow HUCM to reduce student debt costs for its pupils and continue working towards its mission to “advocate for excellence in education and healthcare for underrepresented populations” as the school instructs upcoming cohorts of Black doctors.
HUCM was not Bloomberg Philanthropies’ only gift recipient. This $175 million investment into HUCM was just one of a five-part contribution to historically Black college and university (HBCU) medical schools from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
“Diversifying the medical field and tackling health inequality are society-wide challenges, and Bloomberg Philanthropies is committed to helping to lead the way in tackling them,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies, in a statement. “This gift builds on our earlier investment in these vital institutions, and it will help new generations of Black doctors build a healthier and more equitable future for our country.”
Morehouse School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College also received $175 million, while Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science was given $75 million, each gift proportional to its school’s projected growth and current enrollment numbers. Xavier University of Louisiana also received $5 million in support of their recent efforts to open a new medical school.
This donation, totalling $600 million, marks the largest donation ever made to HBCUs and more than doubles the endowments of three of the medical schools included in the historic gift.
“We have much more to do to build a country where every person, regardless of race, has equal access to quality health care — and where students of all backgrounds have an equal opportunity to pursue their dreams,” Bloomberg said in a statement.
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