Creighton University’s Health Sciences Multicultural and Community Affairs Department (HS-MACA) received the 2019 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Creighton will be featured, along with 49 other recipients, in the September 2019 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
Inspiring Programs in STEM Award winners were selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity based on efforts to inspire and encourage a new generation of young people to consider careers in STEM through mentoring, teaching, research, and successful programs and initiatives.
“As our world changes quite rapidly and becomes more diverse, Creighton University is at the forefront in embracing these changes. Creighton has been deliberate and strategic in planning for the new world in alignment with our Jesuit mission. The Health Sciences Multicultural and Community Affairs Department (HS-MACA) has for many years contributed to institutional diversity through numerous “pipeline” programs and STEM activities. This is a model that can serve Creighton University and the local, national and international communities well,” says Sade Kosoko-Lasaki, MD, associate vice provost of health sciences and professor, School of Medicine.
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected Creighton University, Multicultural and Community Affairs Department: At Creighton University, the Office of Health Sciences’ Multicultural and Community Affairs (HS-MACA) provides leadership in the training and development of a multicultural health care workforce that serves to reduce health disparities in underrepresented and diverse communities through research, culturally-proficient education, community interaction, and engagements. HS-MACA has a long and proud history of helping economically and educationally-disadvantaged (mostly minority) students prepare for careers in health professions. Since its inception, the Health Sciences Multicultural and Community Affairs Office has introduced thousands of young people to STEM related careers through pipeline programs that serve area students beginning in the 4th grade and continuing through middle school, high school, college, and professional schools.
In 1975, Creighton University was the national leader in planning and implementing a Post-Baccalaureate (PB) Program for underrepresented students who need an additional year of academic preparation following undergraduate education before being accepted to dental and medical schools. Along with the PB Program, Creighton also implemented a successful summer-only program for provisionally-accepted medical, dental, pharmacy and other health professions’ students. Creighton’s programs were widely regarded as innovative, effective, and replicable. Today, approximately 360 practicing physicians, dentists, pharmacist and other health professionals can thank Creighton University and its Post-Baccalaureate and Pre-matriculation Programs for contributing to their successful, professional education. The university has invested millions of dollars (approximately S10,000 per student per year of education in scholarship for professional school) in this program. In addition, numerous health profession programs around the country reference Creighton University in its leadership role in providing post-baccalaureate education to disadvantaged students for medical, dental, pharmacy, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy.
HS-MACA continues to embrace the diversity that each of our students bring to our programs which provide information to the young individuals so that they will consider health professions their career of choice in the future. Programs include: Focus on Health Professions; Middle School Initiative; Sudanese Student Learning Initiative; Beginning Awareness Basic Education Studies (BABES), Summer Research Institute; Mini-Health Sciences School/Day Camp and our Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP).
HS-MACA also has mentoring and tutoring programs. Mentors encourage students to establish short- and long-term educational and professional goals and make educational choices that will foster an ongoing interest in science. The mentoring programs include the following: Focus on Health Professions; Middle School Initiative; Sudanese Student Learning Initiative; Summer Research Institute; High School Health Disparities Community-Based Research Program; and Summer Biomedical Health Disparities Research Training Program.
HS-MACA’s community outreach activities are in collaboration with the LB692 Tobacco Settlement funded Center for Promoting Health and health Equity (CPHHE).
To learn more about HS-MACA and our STEM programming, visit our website at https://healthsciences.creighton.edu/diversity , contact (402) 280-2124 or apply at the links below.
Post-Baccalaureate Programs
https://healthsciences.creighton.edu/diversity/post-baccalaureate-programs
Summer Research Institute High School Community Research Program
https://blueq.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Dwb8vw3Xh7zWOp
High School Project Seed Program
https://blueq.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Dwb8vw3Xh7zWOp
Health Careers Opportunity Programs (HCOP). Upload the application and APPLY: https://healthsciences.creighton.edu/sites/healthsciences.creighton.edu/files/hcop-pipeline-to-success-student-application.pdf To learn more about HCOP visit:https://healthsciences.creighton.edu/diversity/health-careers-opportunity-program-hcop
Mini Health Sciences School/Day Camp
https://healthsciences.creighton.edu/diversity/pipeline-programs
