UWM to award $6 million in scholarships to health care students

MILWAUKEE _ The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will soon begin the process of distributing $6 million in scholarships funded by Froedtert Hospital. The Froedtert Memorial Hospital Scholarship fund is intended to support educational opportunities that will increase the representation of historically underprivileged and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in health professions and to grow the health care workforce.

“These scholarships will be life-changing for the many students who receive them and, ultimately, for the countless patients and communities they will serve,” UWM Chancellor Mark Mone said. “At UWM, we are deeply committed to building a pipeline of talent in a variety of health-related fields. The Froedtert Memorial Hospital Scholarship will help UWM attract and retain a range of promising students who need financial help to graduate. This is transformational support that will have an impact on our communities’ health for years to come.”

“Kurtis Froedtert was a brilliant businessman known for his strong interest in science and medicine and his commitment to sharing his success for the good of the community,” said Cathy Jacobson, president and chief executive officer of Froedtert Health. “The scholarships will continue to advance health care in Southeastern Wisconsin in fulfilment of Mr. Froedtert’s legacy.”

UWM will distribute more than 30 renewable scholarships each year to freshmen, continuing and transfer students, as well as those seeking certificates and graduate degrees. Recipients must be enrolled in a health-related program at UWM, including biomedical sciences, health care administration, informatics, kinesiology, nursing, nutrition, public health, rehabilitation sciences and technology, or social work. A complete list of eligible programs can be found online. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement and financial need, with 25% reserved for graduates of Milwaukee Public Schools.

“It is important that our health care professionals represent the communities they serve,” said Joel Spiess, UWM’s director of student scholarships. “When patients identify with their health care providers, this fosters better patient relationships, builds trust and improves patient care. UWM and Froedtert Hospital both desire to improve the health care workforce by supporting and expanding educational opportunities to diversify and expand opportunities among prospective health care professionals. We are excited about these new opportunities, and I encourage all students interested in health-related professions to apply.”

UWM is a destination for health-related majors, driving change through innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and leadership. The university prepares students through interprofessional education mirroring real health care environments and opportunities to conduct innovative research with world-class faculty and staff. UWM aims to inform and drive health policies locally and globally.

More information can be found at uwm.edu/health-scholarship. The Froedtert Memorial Hospital Scholarship application is now available, and the deadline to apply for the 2023-24 academic year is Dec. 1, 2022.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.