Scholarships Drive Allied Health Giving

On Wednesday, Feb. 20, the University of Cincinnati announced that it surpassed the $1 billion goal of its Proudly Cincinnati campaign—four months ahead of the campaign’s June 2013 deadline. The university’s 2013 Proudly Cincinnati Faculty/Staff Campaign continues through June 30, 2013.

The following story highlights contributions to the Proudly Cincinnati Faculty/Staff Campaign that have positively impacted the Academic Health Center, improving our tripartite mission of education, research and clinical care.

With a new initiative set up by Dean Elizabeth King, PhD, faculty and staff at UC’s College of Allied Health Sciences have reached 80 percent participation in the 2013 Proudly Cincinnati Faculty/Staff Campaign. 

In order to promote faculty/staff giving, King set up a unique pledge this year: For each department that reached 100 percent participation, she promised to donate $1,000 to their Scholar of Excellence program.

A new program at the college, the Scholar of Excellence award is targeted to above-average performing students. King’s goal for this year is to offer a scholarship for a student in each of the college’s undergraduate majors, including transfer programs. 

"When our faculty and staff give back to the college, it shows a commitment to the essence of what we’re doing at UC, which is helping an institution change lives,” she says. "That’s why scholarships are so important. These students know they want to come here, but they need help.”

Rehabilitation Sciences 

In the rehabilitation sciences department, faculty and staff have reached 100 percent in the faculty/staff campaign for the past two years. 

"People simply feel responsible to support their own house,” says Tom Herrmann, EdD, interim department head. "We understand that education is expensive, that running the department is expensive. We’ve been able to award four smaller scholarships recently as a result of faculty gifts.”

Herrmann says giving has allowed the department to create a unique financial aid program in the Pacholder Family Fund. Students can appeal to the department for emergency funding for unforeseen circumstances, like a large car repair, that would otherwise derail their studies. 

"The Pacholder fund provides emergency money so students can meet a short-term requirement,” says Hermann. "Our giving to it is driven by the sense that we’re all responsible for our students—we don’t want outside circumstances to prevent these kids from succeeding.” 

He adds that almost every student who has received Pacholder support during their education has in turn contributed to the fund after graduation. 

Department of Analytical and Diagnostic Sciences

Interim DADS department head Susan Wilkinson, EdD, says that three years of 100 percent participation in the faculty/staff campaign demonstrates that her department is invested its students and success. 

"When we’re asking our alumni and friends to donate to the college, it’s important to be able to say that the department has had 100 percent participation—that speaks volumes,” she says.

In the past year, philanthropic giving has allowed DADS to award two students the new Dr. Colin R. and Margaret E. Macpherson Scholarship. The scholarship honors Colin R. Macpherson, MD, professor emeritus of clinical laboratory science and medical technology, and provides tuition support for both on-campus and distance learning MLS students. 

Jennifer Macht, program manager for medical laboratory sciences, has coordinated DADS participation in the faculty/staff campaign for the past three years. She says regular communication about the campaign to faculty and staff emphasizes the importance—and flexibility—of giving to the university.

"We try to stress that people can donate to any program or initiative,” she says, "The fact that they have a choice as to where their money goes helps to encourage them, and there’s never any pressure for a specific amount.” 

To contribute to the 2013 Proudly Cincinnati Faculty/Staff Campaign, visit uc.edu/foundation/facultystaff.html.