CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship: Empowering Future Healthcare Leaders

The CVS Health Foundation is committed to building healthier communities by enabling people of all ages to lead healthy, productive lives. A vital component of this commitment involves investing in scholarship programs that pave the way for careers in pharmacy and other healthcare fields, supporting the academic aspirations of talented individuals. One such initiative is the CVS Health Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship program, designed to address disparities and bolster the healthcare workforce.

A Substantial Investment in Future Healthcare Professionals

The CVS Health Foundation has established a five-year, $5 million Health Care Careers Scholarship program in collaboration with UNCF (United Negro College Fund). This significant investment aims to provide financial assistance to Black and Latinx students pursuing academic careers in health care.

Addressing Underrepresentation in Healthcare

According to David Casey, senior vice president and chief diversity officer at CVS Health, the scholarship program will "feed a robust pipeline of under-represented students, which will in turn strengthen the pool of talented college graduates ready for today’s and tomorrow’s workplace."

Partnering with UNCF to Maximize Impact

The CVS Health Foundation is collaborating with UNCF, the nation’s largest minority education organization, to launch and administer the scholarship program. UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and advocacy for minority education and college readiness.

Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF’s president and CEO, lauded the gift from the CVS Health Foundation, stating, “This is an incredibly generous gift from the CVS Health Foundation. We know that African American, Latinx and other minority communities have been disproportionately impacted by the current pandemic. It’s particularly important right now to welcome as many students of color as we can into the healthcare field. The ripple effect of COVID-19 has the potential to discourage students from pursuing a college education and may prevent others from continuing their education."

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UNCF's Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute reports that students who receive UNCF scholarships demonstrate higher persistence and graduation rates compared to the national student population. This highlights the effectiveness of UNCF's approach to supporting minority students in higher education.

Eligibility Criteria and Areas of Study

Black and Latinx students attending an accredited four-year college or university in the United States and interested in pursuing a career in the health care sector are eligible to apply for these need-based awards.

Eligible areas of study include:

Pharmacy
Nursing
Business Management
Biology
Biochemistry
Finance
Operations/Supply Chain
Data Analytics
Information Technology
Actuary
Human Resources

These fields are strategically chosen to bolster the healthcare innovation talent pipeline, ensuring a diverse and skilled workforce for the future.

Application Process and Timeline

UNCF began accepting applications for the CVS Health Foundation Health Care Career Scholarship on February 1, 2021, with a deadline of April 1, 2021.

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CVS Health Foundation's Broader Commitment to Community Health

The CVS Health Foundation's commitment extends beyond scholarships to encompass a wide range of initiatives aimed at improving community health. These include:

Increasing Community-Based Access to Healthcare: The Foundation supports programs that expand access to healthcare services for underserved populations.
Innovative Approaches to Chronic Disease Management: The Foundation invests in innovative strategies to manage chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Tobacco Cessation and Youth Prevention Programming: The Foundation supports programs that help people quit smoking and prevent youth from starting.
Volunteerism: The Foundation supports colleagues’ spirit of volunteerism through Volunteer Challenge Grants to nonprofits where they donate their time and fundraising efforts.

Health Zones: Addressing Social Determinants of Health

CVS Health recognizes that factors beyond healthcare, such as living conditions, education, and employment, significantly impact well-being. The Health Zones initiative is a community-centered program designed to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities at the local level. Multi-year grants are provided to cohorts of nonprofits working together to strengthen the connection between clinical care and social services and eliminate barriers to care. In 2024, the CVS Health Foundation announced funding to Health Zone partners serving residents of Atlanta, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Fresno, California.

Project Health: Providing Vital Health Screenings

For nearly two decades, Project Health has increased access to vital health screenings, helping to identify health risks before they become life-threatening. This initiative provides free health services to at-risk populations with a higher risk for chronic disease and who often face barriers to care. Project Health hosts over 1,700 events each year at CVS Pharmacy locations across the country and via a fleet of eight mobile units.

Focus on Mental Health

Recognizing that mental health challenges are a leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people, the CVS Health Foundation has expanded its support to grantees, offering capacity building, coalition development, peer-to-peer learning, and in-person convenings. With additional support from the CVS Health Foundation, grantees have expanded the network of partners to whom young people with mental health needs are referred, encouraging early intervention.

Addressing Maternal Health Disparities

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate, with women of color experiencing the worst outcomes. CVS Health Foundation funding supports evidence-based interventions to reverse these trends. In 2024, the Foundation provided more than $1.45 million in new grants dedicated to maternal and women’s health, building on the momentum of multi-year grants from recent years. In 2024, March of Dimes continued to support three local doula collaborative hubs, facilitating their collaboration with hospital systems, and providing financial and social support.

Focus on Healthy Aging

As the population ages, the CVS Health Foundation introduced multi-sector, community-based partnership grants to support organizations working to strengthen systems of care at the local level. Launched in October 2024, the Focus on Healthy Aging initiative is a five-year philanthropic investment to improve health outcomes for people over age 60 at highest risk of experiencing negative brain, heart, and/or mental health outcomes.

Addressing Air Quality Issues

Recognizing that one in three Americans lives in a community with unhealthy air levels, and more frequent extreme weather is exacerbating long-standing air quality issues, the CVS Health Foundation is investing $3.5 million over four years nationwide to combat this health issue through a new collaboration with the American Lung Association.

Supporting Colleagues and Communities

The CVS Health Foundation continues to invest in the development of a talented workforce to support the needs of communities and colleagues. Academic scholarship programs support students pursuing careers in pharmacy, nursing, and retail management. Creating pathways to career opportunities can help people focus on their health. To support both the company’s growth and the communities served, CVS Health focuses on attracting and equipping people of different backgrounds with pathways for careers at CVS Health and beyond.

Addressing Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is a widespread problem. Through collaborations across the country with organizations working to combat hunger, CVS Health has seen that when people have access to nutritious food, it allows them to better focus on their health and well-being.

Disaster Relief

When disaster strikes, CVS Health brings together resources from across the organization to address health impacts, support communities, and assist colleagues in times of hardship. Stores receive additional supplies of emergency items such as water, batteries, and first aid products. Aetna clinical response teams expand their engagement with Medicare and Commercial members in potentially impacted areas to ensure member safety and access to emergency services. Aetna also expands its Resources For Living (RFL) services to ensure individuals and organizations have access to care, regardless of whether it is part of their existing benefits.

Volunteerism

CVS Health colleagues are passionate about supporting the communities where they live and work. Funded through the CVS Health Foundation, the Volunteer Challenge Grant program supports nonprofit organizations where colleagues donate their time, with grants ranging from $250 to $5,000.

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