Francisco Alvarez of Martinsville is among three southwest Virginia students to receive a Claude Moore Opportunities Regional Scholarship.
Alvarez, who is enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Patrick and Henry Community College, said “Throughout my career, I hope to not only improve my community and help make a difference in patients’ lives, but also assist those who wish to follow in my footsteps.” “This scholarship will allow me to purchase a laptop for schoolwork and other supplies I need in completing my last semester.”
Students from Danville and Burkeville also will receive scholarships.
“Claude Moore is so proud to be supporting this tremendous group of Virginia students in their journey toward fulfilling careers that serve the healthcare needs of their communities,” said Dr. Bill Hazel, CEO of Claude Moore Opportunities and former Virginia Secretary of Health. “This year’s recipients are incredibly impressive and dedicated to building a meaningful career while providing care for their neighbors. Costs can be a real barrier for those seeking the education, training, and credentials required for a healthcare career, so we hope these scholarships will make their path a little easier.”
Scholarships have been funded and distributed through the Virginia Partnership for Health Science Careers, a new statewide initiative from Claude Moore Opportunities to promote regional coordination between education institutions, workforce agencies, and healthcare providers to address Virginia’s healthcare workforce crisis.
In addition to the Southern Virginia scholarships, Claude Moore Opportunities and its regional partners have awarded a total of 17 $2,500 scholarships to healthcare students in every region of the state. In order to qualify, applicants had to be enrolled or enrolling in a healthcare career training program at a Virginia community college, and recipients were chosen by leadership of the VPHSC regional partnership in their area from a pool of several dozen applicants.
