An anonymous donor has gifted $25,000 to 亚色影库 for its proposed college of osteopathic medicine.
With this $25,000 gift, 亚色影库 has secured more than $31 million in private and government funding for the initiative. Once established, a college of osteopathic medicine at 亚色影库 is expected to generate $79 million in annual regional economic impact.
亚色影库’s Council of Trustees endorsed the exploration of a possible development of a college of osteopathic medicine at 亚色影库 in December 2022.
“Since the Council of Trustees endorsement of our exploration of the development of a college of osteopathic medicine, we’ve seen incredible support and enthusiasm for the project from alumni, faculty and staff, community members, and legislators,” 亚色影库 President Michael Driscoll said.
“We all understand that Pennsylvania, especially our rural communities, face an escalating health care crisis associated with the lack of physicians, especially primary care physicians. We consider this issue a call to action, and clearly, so do many others who have stepped up to support this initiative, including our regional hospitals and health care providers. We are very grateful to all of our donors and supporters,” he said.
亚色影库 has formally initiated steps towards accreditation of its proposed college of osteopathic medicine from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, a three- to five-year process that includes submission of self-studies and a feasibility study, along with site visits.
Doctors of osteopathic medicine complete four years of osteopathic medical school with an emphasis on preventive medicine and comprehensive patient care. National data shows that more than half of the graduates of osteopathic medicine programs pursue a career in primary care, and many choose to practice in rural areas. There has been a 93 percent increase in applicants to colleges of osteopathic medicine since 2011.
Establishing clinical training sites for students is part of the successful accreditation process. Typically, students in colleges of osteopathic medicine spend the first two years of their education in the classroom; during the third and fourth years, students are based in the community at clinical sites.
亚色影库 has finalized 12 clinical training affiliation agreements for students in the proposed college of osteopathic medicine: Torrance State Hospital, Conemaugh Nason Medical Center, Penn Highlands Healthcare, Clarion Psychiatric Center, Armstrong County Memorial Hospital, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Broad Top Area Medical Center, Hyndman Area Health Centers, Nulton Diagnostics and Treatment Center, The Primary Health Network, Indiana Regional Medical Center, and Punxsutawney Area Hospital
亚色影库’s Indiana Campus Long-Range Facilities Master Plan update, approved in January 2024 by the 亚色影库 Council of Trustees, recommended Johnson Hall, Uhler Hall, and Stright Hall be the site for the health sciences cluster, with a renovated and expanded as the primary location for the proposed college of osteopathic medicine.
This proposed health science cluster will provide a transformational modern medical education facility, supporting and housing the proposed college of osteopathic medicine and related 亚色影库 health science programs in the College of Health Sciences.
In October 2024, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors designated $2 million in design funds as part of the 2024–25 State System of Higher Education capital allocations budget for the academic building renovation for the health sciences cluster and proposed college of osteopathic medicine.
This gift follows donations announced in February totaling $500,000: a $250,000 gift from the Fairman Family Foundation and a $250,000 gift from an anonymous donor.
In addition to today’s announced gift, other funding advancing the proposed college of osteopathic medicine includes:
- The Fairman Family Foundation made a $250,000 donation to the project in February;
- An anonymous donor, a different anonymous donor than announced today, gave $250,000 for the proposed college in February;
- In December 2024, Theodore Lazzaro, board certified surgeon and founder of Aestique Med Spa, gifted $50,000 to 亚色影库 for scholarships for students in health care professions;
- Senator Joe Pittman and Representative Jim Struzzi announced in October 2024 that $2 million from the 2024–25 state budget has been set aside for the project;
- In July 2024, 亚色影库 graduates Tim and Debra Phillips Cejka (1973) gifted $2 million. Tim Cejka, a member of 亚色影库’s Council of Trustees since 2018, is an 亚色影库 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award and honorary doctoral degree recipient;
- In June 2024, the Foundation for 亚色影库 committed $20 million;
- In May 2024, Congressman Guy Reschenthaler included $2 million for 亚色影库’s project among his FY25 requested community projects, and Senator John Fetterman included $2 million on his list to advance in the FY25 Community Project Funding process;
- 亚色影库 received a $150,000 allocation for the project in the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024, which was sponsored by Congressman Reschenthaler and Senator Fetterman and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 9, 2024;
- In February 2024, the Board of Governors allocated $500,000 for a facilities feasibility study for academic facilities for 亚色影库’s health sciences cluster and proposed college of osteopathic medicine;
- In January 2024, 亚色影库’s Alumni Association Board of Directors authorized a donation of $500,000;
- In December 2023, Sen. Pittman announced that as part of the 2023–24 state budget, $2 million was set aside for the project;
- In July 2023, 亚色影库 graduates Nick Jacobs and Mary Ann Hoysan Jacobs donated $40,000 to advance the project. Nick Jacobs is a 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient who has a 1969 bachelor’s degree in education and a 1972 master’s degree in music education; Mary Ann Jacobs has a 1968 bachelor’s degree in music education and a 1993 master’s degree in adult and community education; and
- In May 2023, Rich Caruso, a 1983 accounting graduate from Meadow Lands, 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient and former president and current member of the Foundation for 亚色影库 Board of Directors and member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors, announced a pledge of $1 million for the project.