Francis Hall at St. Bonaventure University
David Scibilia/The Bona Venture
BY: BROOKE JOHNPIER, STAFF WRITER
The Dennis R. DePerro School of Health Professions at St. Bonaventure University received a $250,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Nov. 1. The grant will provide healthcare education in Cattaraugus County, which has some of the highest rates of preventable diseases in New York, including diabetes, obesity, cancer, hypertension and heart disease, according to a university press release.
Earlier this year, the School of Health Professions received another Cabrini Health grant for $500,000 that focused on tuition assistance for students majoring in health or education.
“For this current Cabrini grant, we were awarded funding to hire a program coordinator who will work with our colleagues at the Cattaraugus County Health Department,” said Dr. Claire Watson, the interim dean for Bonaventure’s School of Health Professions. “The grant will provide paid internship opportunities for our undergrad and graduate health students and will cover transportation and marketing costs.”
Ten students will be chosen for the paid internships each semester. The students will develop programs, help administration with planning, market the programs they are in and analyze the impact of them.
Watson said the program will start during the spring semester, and student interns will be chosen through spring of 2025. During this time period, students will be using libraries, local schools and other educational locations to try and understand different demographics.
According to the press release, students who intern during the summer will be able to expand their reach to students in grades K-12 through seminars.
“This Cabrini grant will positively affect the students within the DePerro School of Health Professions as they will have the unique opportunity to create and deliver health-promotion seminars,” said Watson. “The seminars will be designed for individuals of all ages to prevent chronic lifestyle diseases like heart disease.”
Interning students will aid the Cattaraugus County Health Department in attempts to lower the rates of severe conditions through intensive educational efforts that focus on modifying risky behaviors, according to Watson.
“This grant affords students a formative educational lesson now and will enhance their patient and population interactions and outcomes when they enter their professional careers,” said Watson. “Having students from different health disciplines engage in creating and delivering health promotion is essential.”
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, non-profit organization. Their mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, as well as improve the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate care barriers and bridge health service gaps, according to the foundation’s website. They fund programs and initiatives across the state of New York that provide direct services in the healthcare industry or address social determinants pertaining to health.
Based out of New York City, the foundation has been providing grants to schools such as the Bonaventure’s School of Health Professions since 2018.
johnpibl23@bonaventure.edu
