For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Dr. Sarah Cherry Rice
[email protected]
7062962843
Digital Ready, Boston Public Health Commission, and Children’s Services of Roxbury partner to offer $40,000 scholarships for Boston students of color studying for careers in STEM, the Health Sciences, Public Health, and Behavioral Health.
BOSTON, MA (June 7, 2023) — Digital Ready, the Boston Public Health Commission, and Children’s Services of Roxbury (CSR), have announced today a partnership to offer $40,000 scholarships for more than 70 Boston-based, first-year college students of color studying for careers in STEM, the Health Sciences, Public Health and Behavioral Health. This collaborative partnership aims to provide Boston students with the access, resources and support needed to enter Boston’s burgeoning innovation economy.
“Increasing access to a STEM bachelor’s degree has to be our focus in Boston or we risk isolating our students from the economic and civic fabric of their home community. We have a city that is rich with resources and job opportunities, but inequitable in distribution. This collaborative partnership is just one example of how we can partner to remove barriers for our young people and ensure they have the currency to access high-wage jobs in Boston that put themselves and their families on a path to economic mobility,” says Dr. Sarah Cherry Rice, the Executive Director of Digital Ready.
The Generational Health Scholarship, funded through the Declaration of Racism as a Public Health Crisis, aims to buffer financial and related barriers that impact Black, Latine and Native American students’ ability to enter, matriculate, and graduate from a Boston-based, four-year degree program. The inaugural award will serve as dedicated support for Boston students looking to enter critical roles that include public health practitioners, medical doctors, engineers, health administrators, psychiatrists, architects, dentists, counselors, physical therapists, information technology managers, nurses, data scientists, software developers, social workers, health education specialists and more.
“These scholarships directly invest in the futures of young people of color,” said President and CEO of Children’s Services of Roxbury, Sandra McCroom. “Breaking cycles of generational poverty and building wealth in our communities is a matter of urgency. We are grateful to partner with Digital Ready and the Boston Public Health Commission in that effort.”
According to the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, only 5% of workers are Black, 7% are Latinx, and one-third are women in the Massachusetts technology sector. This scholarship was created to reduce barriers that may prevent young people from accessing higher education and ultimately obtaining their bachelor’s degree. Beyond financial support, the initiative is designed to address critical workforce shortages, increase representation in key industries, create generational wealth, improve access to health services and to build a more equitable and inclusive Boston.
“By increasing access to educational attainment, this novel scholarship addresses the impact systemic racism has on the social determinants of health – ultimately leading to better health outcomes for BIPOC Bostonians,” said Triniese Polk, Director of the Boston Public Health Commission’s Office of Racial Equity and Community Engagement. “My team and I are thrilled to partner with Children’s Services of Roxbury and Digital Ready in strengthening racial-ethnic health equity efforts in Boston.”
The application deadline is June 18, 2023. For more information and to apply, visit the following link:
https://form.typeform.com/to/AXsKywJa
About Digital Ready
Digital Ready is a Boston-based organization with a mission to activate the creative potential of high school students, especially underrepresented young people—students from low-income backgrounds and students of color—with the agency, social capital, and skills to build their own pathways to economic mobility and success in Boston’s innovation economy. For more information, visit www.digitalready.org or follow @digitalreadyboston on Instagram.
About Children’s Services of Roxbury
Now in its 50th year of service, Children’s Services of Roxbury (CSR) brings peace of mind to children and families across the Commonwealth through housing for homeless families, culturally attuned behavioral/mental health services, foster care for abused and neglected children, family support services, affordable childcare for low-wage families, and youth resiliency and development programs. CSR is one of Massachusetts’ largest Black-run non-profit, whose Board and leadership are 75%+ people of color. CSR employs 400 community residents, 90%+ people of color. Located in Roxbury MA, with additional offices in Northampton, Tewksbury, and Worcester, CSR serves Black and Brown communities throughout the state, reaching 6,000 children and families annually. Learn more about CSR: csrox.org
About the Boston Public Health Commission
The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) serves as Boston’s local health department, providing a wide range of health services and programs to protect, preserve, and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, particularly those who are most vulnerable. The BPHC envisions a thriving Boston where all residents live healthy, fulfilling lives free of racism, poverty, violence, and other systems of oppression. Learn more about the BPHC here.
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