Ventures Winter 2019-2020 | Page 25

Biomedical Program Attracts Generous Support Scholarship Program Success Donors continue to provide much-needed scholarship funding to Stevenson University students. Approximately 230 students will re- ceive $971,474 in scholarship funding during the 2019-2020 academic year. The amount of scholarship funds provided to Stevenson’s The Kahlert Foundation committed $200,000 to assist with the program’s capi- tal costs, including equipment, materials, and staffing. A portion of the Kahlert Foundation’s contribution will also provide scholarships to Biomedical Engineer- ing students. In addition, Jack Dunn, the parent of a Stevenson student and a member of Stevenson’s President’s Advisory Council, made a gift of more than $80,000 in support of the program. “Starting a new academic program is a significant undertaking in terms of time, effort, human, and financial resources,” says Meredith Durmowicz Ph.D., Dean of the Beverly K. Fine School of the Sciences. “STEM programs in particular tend to require a lot of specialized expertise and resources. The philanthropic support we have received for our Biomedical Engineering program has enabled us to attract an extremely talented program coordinator who has over 30 years of experience in the biomedical engineering industry as well as several years of experience as a faculty member and administrator in higher education. We will also be able to purchase and provide all of the tools, equipment, and laboratory supplies our students will need to learn and practice the technical engineering skills, apply their scientific knowledge, and engage in the kind of problem-solving that is the hallmark of engineering programs.” Stevenson University’s Biomedical Engineering program seeks to prepare students to solve important human health-related scientific problems through the application of engineering principles, ideas, methods, and inventions. Housed within the Beverly K. Fine School of the Sciences, the program emphasizes critical and creative thinking in addition to technical skills and knowledge and provides students with opportunities to apply these skills and knowledge to the solution of real-world problems. students represents a 10% increase from the amount of scholarship funds donors contrib- uted during the 2018-2019 academic year. Last year, the following annual scholarship funds were established: • The Alumni Association Scholarship Fund • Beigel Waller Annual Scholarship • Stephanie Giles Suit ’05 Scholarship In addition, donors established several endowed scholarship funds last year. These include: • T  he Hackerman Foundation Endowed Scholarship • The Judith A. Feustle, ScD, RN Scholarship • T  he Vincent O. Versace Endowed Scholarship Scholarships are one of Stevenson Univer- sity’s top philanthropic needs. You can help provide the financial assistance many Ste- venson students need by making your gift at stevenson.edu/GivetoSU. “With the talent and passion of the faculty and staff we have been able to bring on board, and the physical resources in place thanks to the support of our donors, the Biomedical Engineering program is laying a strong foundation for success,” says Durmowicz. STEVENSON.EDU/GIVING | 23