pact—with $10.6 Million in Grant Funding “Securing grants will continue to be a central strategy employed by the university to enhance educational experiences for students,” said Diulus, “while also addressing healthcare disparities and improving health outcomes, often in underserved or historically marginalized communities.” $116,500 | Advancing Social Mobility The John R. Oishei Foundation is aiding the creation of the Bridge To Success program. D’Youville will increase its capacity to advance the social mobility of underserved learners, first- generation, underrepresented, and low-income students. Through the university’s Associate of Arts degree, the Social Opportunities Hub will enable students to transition into four- year degree options, or directly into professional life in the health, business, and social service sectors. Students will develop skills in reading, writing, critical thinking, and mathematics, along with skills that complement machine- and computer-driven productivity. $185,000 | Improving Community Health and Well-being The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is providing funds for the Nutrition Empowerment Program, which improves the health and well-being of community members by increasing food access, nutrition knowledge, and cooking skills. Registered dietitians work with community members and offer free cooking classes, nutrition education sessions and a warm weather farmer’s market. Grant programming takes place at D’Youville’s state-of- the-art Health Professions Hub. Megan Whelan, PhD, RDN, CDN and Rachel Laster, MS, RDN, CDN are co-principal investigators. $250,000 | Diversifying Employment Pipelines Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is providing $250,000 for the Pathways Pharmacy Technician Program—a healthcare workforce training initiative offered to pharmacy techs, nurse assistants, and community healthcare workers who have been historically excluded from educational opportunities. According to project lead and Title III Program Director Leona Soule, MEd, “This program helps these students enter the healthcare workforce with meaningful credentials, specialized training and soft skills.” $325,000 | Food Farmacy Historic winter storms and the May 2022 terrorist attack at the Tops on Buffalo’s East Side highlighted and exacerbated food inequities that exist in the city. A $325,000 grant from United Healthcare will create a responsive Food Farmacy that addresses social determinants of health. Led by interim dean of the School of Health Professions Megan Whelan, PhD, RDN, CDN, and Renee Cadzow, PhD, associate director of the Center for Doctoral Studies and Research, as well as Nutrition Empowerment Program Director Rachel Laster ’20, MS, RDN, CDN, the project will distribute emergency food kits through community partners and train community health workers on how to address food insecurity. $748,250 | D’You Scholars Stacy Ruvio, PhD received $748,250 from the National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (S-STEM). The grant aims to “increase the recruitment, enrollment, retention, and graduation of low-income, academically talented biology majors with financial need,” said Ruvio, chair of the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Scholarships will be awarded to 13 students, known as D’YOU STEM Scholars, who will receive enhanced faculty mentoring and career development and engage in other activities to foster a STEM identity. THE D’MENSIONS MAGAZINE 11
