Empowering Futures: Student Success Funds at Washington University and the University of Washington School of Public Health
Introduction
Investing in students is investing in the future. Both Washington University (WashU) and the University of Washington School of Public Health (UW SPH) recognize this and have established student success funds to support students in various aspects of their academic journey. These funds aim to attract and retain talented individuals, regardless of their financial background, and empower them to achieve their full potential.
Scholarship Support at WashU Medicine
The world needs skilled and talented physicians, and WashU Medicine is committed to training them. However, medical school is a significant financial undertaking, and competition for top applicants is intense. To ensure student success and maintain its standing among the nation's top medical schools, WashU Medicine relies on scholarship support.
Financial support allows WashU Medicine to attract and enroll students with the greatest potential, irrespective of their ability to pay. Donors can create and name an annual scholarship with a donation of $10,000 or more, with the entire gift immediately available for student financial support. An endowed scholarship, on the other hand, provides a lasting investment in future healthcare leaders. The principal is held and grows in perpetuity, with a percentage of the earnings funding aspiring physicians. A gift of $1.5 million covers a student's annual tuition cost.
Many classes have established Class Scholarship funds, awarded annually based on funds raised or endowed, with a percentage of the earnings awarded to a deserving student each academic year. Alumni celebrating their milestone reunions are encouraged to consider celebrating their class year and paying it forward to the next generation of physicians. Any gift to the WashU Medicine Annual Fund counts toward the class's reunion gift total, and multi-year pledges are counted in full.
WashU is taking a bold step forward through WashU’s Make Way: Our Student Initiative, building critical resources for new medical student scholarships.
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WashU has significantly increased its financial aid spending over the last decade, implementing various financial aid policies. Despite navigating financial challenges, WashU remains committed to meeting students' financial needs.
WashU's financial aid spending has outpaced the increase in revenue from gross tuition and fees over the last 10 years. Funding for financial aid comes from private donors, scholarship endowments, the University's Central Fiscal Unit (CFU), and individual schools. The increased financial aid spending comes as the University has expanded aid offerings since being named the least socioeconomically diverse elite university in the country in 2014. The share of WashU undergraduates receiving Pell Grants has increased significantly.
Funding Opportunities at the UW School of Public Health
The University of Washington School of Public Health is committed to connecting prospective applicants with funding opportunities both before and after admission. Applicants can indicate their interest in department or program-specific funding in their application or by contacting a departmental advisor. The Dean's Office also offers awards, and students can explore Student Employment Opportunities, such as Research Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships, and Academic Student Employment (ASE) positions.
The Office of Student Financial Aid serves the entire Seattle campus and provides valuable resources for new applicants, addressing questions about fee waivers, stacking scholarships/loans, and other financial options. Patience is key, as RA/TA/ASE positions are typically advertised later in the spring/summer. Diligence, patience, and communication with departmental student services staff are essential.
Specific Funding Opportunities at UW SPH
The UW SPH offers a variety of funding opportunities to support students with diverse backgrounds and interests:
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Double Eagle II Endowed Scholarship in Public Health: A need-based award for undergraduate students studying public health and committed to healthier communities. Funding can be used for tuition, travel, books, fees, and other educational needs.
Rattlinggourd Endowed Scholarship & Fellowship: Supports public health advances in underrepresented communities, preferably Native American & Alaska Native communities.
School of Public Health Student Success Fund: Empowers students by providing essential support for learning opportunities beyond the classroom, travel to conferences, materials production, participation in workshops and seminars, mitigating unexpected emergencies and other emerging student-centered needs.
Walter Remak Endowed Scholarship in the School of Public Health: Benefits undergraduate and/or graduate students planning to pursue public health work in South Africa, regardless of their country of origin. Funds can be used for tuition, travel, research, practicum/internship expenses, housing, food, textbooks, and lab fees.
S.Rao and Usha Varansai Endowed Fund for Undergraduate Student Research in Public Health: Provides broad-based financial support to undergraduate students actively engaged in research that advances public health knowledge and practice. Supports students who participate in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and have demonstrated commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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Grayston-Day Fellowship (Departmental Nomination Only): Supports financial need, academic merit, and potential contribution to the field of public health.
Haresh & Saroj Patel Family Term Fellowship: Provides financial assistance to a graduate student with an interest in reproductive health and/or gender-affirming care, selected based on academic merit.
Jack and Gayle Thompson Endowment: Supports graduate students pursuing their Master's degree, with a preference for students with a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion or those from underserved backgrounds.
Magnuson Scholars Fellowship (Departmental Nomination Only): Nominees are selected from each of the six University of Washington Health Sciences Schools, with a preference for candidates preparing for or engaged in research related to diabetes.
Patrick and Beresford Social Epidemiology Endowed Fellowship: Supports graduate students with a demonstrated interest in social determinants of health, with a preference for students engaged in the study of social epidemiology, health disparities, and methodologically rigorous research within social epidemiology.
Remala Family Endowed Fellowship for Diversity and Equity in Public Health: Provides financial assistance to graduate students with a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion or those from underserved backgrounds.
School of Public Health Endowed Fellowship: Supports one PhD student and one Masters student each year, selected based on academic merit and strength of the letter of recommendation.
School of Public Health Office of the Dean Master's Fellowships: Awards available to master's level students newly entering tuition-based programs, with the intent to attract and retain outstanding students who have demonstrated financial need and/or have overcome personal or educational obstacles.
The James A. McDermott, M.D. Global Health Endowed Fellowship: Benefits graduate students with a demonstrated commitment to addressing international public health issues in areas of the world outside of the United States.
Applying for Funding at UW SPH
The SPH Dean's Office Awards are available to students matriculated into SPH programs with the appropriate expertise, experience, and/or interests, regardless of their race, sex, or other identities. Some awards are funded from tuition dollars and as a result, are only available to students who are in tuition-based programs and not to students matriculated into fee-based programs. Awards are available in the Winter (mainly for graduate students) and Summer (mainly for undergraduate students) cycles. Recipients can expect to receive their awards in October of the incoming Autumn quarter.
Applicants are advised to carefully read the essay prompt and all required materials, ensuring they address specific questions and follow instructions. A strong essay demonstrates self-reflection, clarity of purpose, and a holistic perspective of the applicant. Applicants should reach out to letter of recommendation writers at least one month before the due date.
Additional Funding Considerations at UW
Graduate students are eligible for funding through the Black Alumni Emergency Fund but applicants must be able to demonstrate how they contribute to the diversity of the university.
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