Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) in South Los Angeles, one of the nation’s four historically Black medical schools and a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, has allocated more than $2 million of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) authorized in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to provide financial relief directly to students, it was announced by David M. Carlisle, president and CEO of CDU.
“Our students are the beating heart and soul of CDU and, like so many people in communities everywhere, have experienced many hardships throughout the pandemic,” shared President Carlisle. “CDU is grateful to have access to this funding to provide financial relief directly to students for addressing academic, financial, childcare, housing, food insecurity or health/mental health pressures they are currently facing. Together we can continue along the path to achieving excellent health and wellness for all in a world without health disparities.”
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 provides $39.6 billion in support to institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDU, which was founded in 1966 in the wake of the Watts Uprising to address inequities in healthcare, will use more than $2 million of the University’s HEERF allocation from ARP to directly assist students who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
CDU is providing direct aid ranging from $1,250-$3,800 to nearly 800 students, with distribution of the funding beginning this week. Multiple criteria were considered to determine which students receive funds and the value of those disbursements. Students with certified financial hardships as a result of COVID-19 make up the largest group of intended recipients, followed by students who have a significant unmet need according to their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial hardships, disadvantaged student statuses, federal poverty guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and the unmet needs of Pell and State Grant recipients were also taken into consideration. The University is also prioritizing this funding for its currently enrolled undergraduate students.
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, located in South Los Angeles, offers nearly 20 graduate, undergraduate, and certificate programs in medicine and healthcare. The University is recognized by the State of California as a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and is a federally designated Historically Black Graduate Institution (HBGI). Ranked as the #2 school in America for student and faculty diversity and the only historically black university west of Texas, CDU has been repeatedly cited as a top school in the nation for its graduates’ early career salaries and for providing high-income careers for previously low-income students.
Visit https://www.cdrewu.edu for more information about Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.
