Midwestern University has partnered with Delta Dental of Illinois, a network of dental insurance companies, to create a scholarship fund dedicated to boosting minority representation in dentistry.
The “new scholarship fund,” called the Delta Dental Diversity Scholarship, is “intended to foster student body diversity and extend opportunities for healthcare students from underrepresented minority groups,” Midwestern writes on its website. “Two $50,000 scholarships will be awarded annually to eligible students of the University’s College of Dental Medicine-Illinois.”
The scholarship will specifically be offered to students in “underrepresented minority groups,” according to an online description.
“The new Delta Dental of Illinois Diversity Admissions Scholarship applies to incoming first-year dental medicine students belonging to minority groups as defined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA),” the web page continues.
One quality that students’ applications will be judged on is their commitment to “diversity, leadership, and community service.”
In September, the school announced the recipients for this school year.
“We want to remove barriers to care and ensure everyone has access to the healthcare they need,” Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation Executive Director Lora Vitek said. She also added that part of the goal of the program is to “create more inclusivity and equity in healthcare access for patients.”
In addition to the Delta Dental scholarship, Midwestern University offers another academic award called the “MWU Diversity Scholarship,” which it describes on its website as “part of the University’s 5-Step Plan for Greater Diversity and Inclusion.”
The school also has a “College of Graduate Studies (CGS) Scholarship for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”
“The College of Graduate Studies (CGS) is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” the university writes. “The CGS Scholarship for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is a merit- and needs-based award for qualified underrepresented minority students.”
The description of the scholarship continues to describe that one of the requirements for eligibility is that the applicant reach “[Health Resources and Services Administration] criteria for an underrepresented minority in health professions.”
The CGS DEI scholarship also requires a personal statement that addresses the question, “How do you apply your experience as an underrepresented minority to serve, motivate, and inspire others?”
Campus Reform has contacted Midwestern University and Delta Dental of Illinois for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
This article was originally published at campusreform.org
