Q4HE Grantee, American Heart Association, Celebrates Hispanic and Black Scholars

American Heart Association (AHA), a Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) grantee, honored scholars of its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Scholars Programs with two Spring Research Symposiums.

On April 11, at North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, and on April 13, at Montclair State University in Montclair, NJ, undergraduate students participating in these programs presented their capstone research projects to local leaders including Cathy Doherty SVP, Regional Businesses, Quest Diagnostics, and Ruth Clements, Vice President and General Manager of Quest’s East Region. Members of the AHA’s leadership were also in attendance.

Both the HBCU and HSI Scholars Programs were created by the AHA to invest in students of color. Specifically, the HBCU program serves a goal of increasing the number of African American students who apply and are accepted into graduate biomedical science, research, and public health programs, while the HSI program seeks to aid aspiring Hispanic researchers and healthcare professionals.

As part of the program, undergraduate students enrolled in biomedical and health sciences at these inclusive-driven institutions participate in academic and career-enriching experiences, learning about health disparities in underserved communities, how cultural sensitivity can provide safe and reassuring clinical spaces, and how inclusivity is essential in science.

“Quest for Health Equity is proud to support such an important program of the AHA,” said Michael Floyd, Senior Director, Q4HE. “Each of the participating scholars should be as proud of their achievements as we are. On behalf of everyone at Quest, we wish them all continued success in their journey towards a brighter future in the health sciences.”

 For more information about Quest for Health Equity, visit our website at www.QuestForHealthEquity.com.