February 2010, Volume 14, Number 1

Features

$1 Million helps MDC help students

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South Florida Workforce recently awarded MDC nearly $1 million toward funding for new nursing scholarships and an extant early intervention program. The newly established Scholar Workforce Accelerated Training (SWAT) nursing program will receive $520,000, and $450,000 will go to the existing, award-winning, Take Stock in Children, a Miami-Dade early intervention and mentoring program for at-risk youths.

SWAT provides tuition, books, uniforms and other instructional materials for up to 40 students entering MDC’s School of Nursing. These students will do their clinical training at the University of Miami Hospital, and will be guaranteed employment upon graduation.

"It’s like hitting an educational and employment lottery," said Dr. Anita Kaplan, president, Medical Center Campus.

South Florida Workforce is an organization that helps disadvantaged individuals access training and employment opportunities.

Take Stock in Children will continue to provide guidance to South Florida youths. This long-running partnership between MDC and Miami-Dade County Public Schools offers support for students who sign a contract to stay in school, maintain good grades, remain drug- and crime-free, and meet once a week with a mentor. In return, students are awarded a four-year tuition scholarship to college.

"This is a formula to break the cycle of poverty by making an impact one child at a time," said Alejandro Alvarez, program director.

— HP


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