School of Medicine’s White Coat Class Photo

Students gather for the VCU School of Medicine's annual white coat class photo. Photo: Kevin Schindler

MCV Foundation Awards $4M to VCU to Improve Recruitment and Student Opportunities on Health Sciences Campus

Editor's note: Page updated February 2025

The MCV Foundation has announced it will award $4 million over four years to Virginia Commonwealth University to recruit highly qualified students to the university’s five health sciences programs. Scholarship recipients will go on to meet the health care needs of diverse people and communities locally, nationally and around the globe.

Deans on VCU’s MCV Campus — which includes the College of Health Professions and schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Nursing — will use the funding to attract, enroll, educate and graduate highly qualified students. Over 4,100 students are currently enrolled in a VCU Health Sciences degree program in the 2022-23 academic year, representing about 15% of VCU’s overall student body.

School of Dentistry students practice in the lab
VCU School of Dentistry students practice in one of the school's dental labs. Photo: Kevin Morley, VCU

 

“We are deeply grateful for the MCV Foundation’s commitment to VCU’s health sciences schools and our College of Health Professions,” said Marlon Levy, M.D., interim senior vice president for health sciences at VCU and interim CEO for VCU Health System. “It will enable us to more effectively compete for outstanding candidates."

School of Nursing students practice in the lab
VCU School of Nursing students build their skills in one of the school's nursing labs. Photo: Tyler Trumbo

 

“While we are not a grant-making foundation, we saw this as a special opportunity to raise awareness of this important need and make a difference through philanthropy,” said Ellen Spong, chair of the MCV Foundation Board of Trustees. “We want this award to inspire others to support scholarships, fellowships and student success initiatives in VCU Health Sciences programs so that more people ultimately have access to comfortable, safe, top-quality health care.”

If you are interested in supporting the next generation of health care providers or making an impact on current research and patient care, learn about the ways you can contribute on our giving page.