Cleveland Foundation Provides Student Grant Funding

A recent gift from the Cleveland Foundation has made it possible for four Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Medicine students to be named as the inaugural recipients of the Carl Harris Bissell Award. They are: Fourth-year student Carmen Javier, third-year students Laura Allen and Anibelky Almanzar, and first-year student Diamanta Panford. 

NEOMED received funding from the Cleveland Foundation with the only criteria being that the recipients of the award must be female students enrolled in the College of Medicine. Recognizing this as an opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding work of students from marginalized populations, the University Scholarship and Awards Committee voted to grant the Carl Harris Bissell Award to students from populations underrepresented in medicine. The awards were made upon the recommendation of and in collaboration with NEOMED’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Internal selection criteria required the recipients to demonstrate a strong and sustained commitment through initiatives, programs or services that educate, promote or contribute to increasing the appreciation and understanding of diversity, equity and inclusivity at NEOMED. Additionally, each of the recipients were required to have demonstrated that they value, respect and have an appreciation of differences among individuals.

Each one of these students has made a significant impact in enhancing diversity-focused initiatives and creating a welcoming and inclusive environment at NEOMED, in addition to navigating the challenges of a professional school education.