Healthcare In Progress program receives INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine’s 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award

Akron Public Schools (APS) Healthcare In Progress (HIP) program in partnership with The University of Akron (UA) and Kent State University (Kent State) received the 2020 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). APS, UA and Kent State will be featured, along with 49 other recipients, in the September 2020 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

Inspiring Programs in STEM Award winners were selected 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.

“We value the partnership with Kent State University and The University of Akron in providing educational opportunities and experiences for students in Akron Public Schools,” said Dr. David James, APS superintendent.

Learning about career opportunities in health care

HIP exposes students to various career opportunities available in health care. Throughout the school year, students become involved with area hospitals, and can participate in summer opportunities that introduce them to the colleges within the partnership. The HIP Initiative has helped more than 1,700 students, with an emphasis on populations under-represented in health care, picture and be better prepared for their futures in health care careers.

The HIP Program at APS has partnered with UA and Kent State University since 2000 when a diverse group of institutions came together to form the Initiative for the betterment of community health. Over 75% of students who have participated are females and 80% are non-white. HIP introduces students to various medical-related fields (medicine, nursing, hospitality and support services, information systems and medical records, biomedical engineering, radiology, laboratory, pharmacy, physiology and rehabilitation technical services) and takes them into hospital settings to experience and observe health care and medical practice in action.

“We are grateful to work with APS and our other community partners to provide meaningful experiences like the Healthcare in Progress program to students,” said Greta Lax, director of the Akron-Region Interprofessional Area Health Education Center at UA. “We are particularly pleased to offer these experiences to those students who have so much to offer but may not otherwise have the same access to such opportunities and resources.” 

Introduced to health care careers

More than 500 students have also participated in HIP’s summer program, a week-long opportunity for students to experience life on campus with an emphasis on postsecondary education for health care careers. The summer week provides many opportunities, such as shadowing health care professionals on the job, problem-based learning projects and information on health care careers. In addition to the summer pipeline programs for grades 8-12, fall and spring seminar touch bases were created over the last four years. A local program, Rachel’s Angels, has also been wrapped into the HIP program to provide students an opportunity to speak about the opioid crisis to health classes across middle and high schools.

At each grade level these programs:

• Engage high school level students by raising awareness of opportunities in health care careers during high school and beyond;
• Provide pathways to local educational opportunities in the student’s area of interest;
• Create a forum to provide curriculum counseling for how to get into college and into a career; and,
• Connect students to the many scholarships and other funding opportunities to help them pay for their education.

The goal is to place graduates in meaningful careers with earning power making positive contributions to the health care team in Akron and the Northeast Ohio region. 

“We know that many STEM programs are not always recognized for their success, dedication and mentorship for underrepresented students,” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We want to honor the schools and organizations that have created programs that inspire and encourage young people who may currently be in or are interested in a future career in STEM. We are proud to honor these programs as role models to other institutions of higher education and beyond.”

Visit INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine online for more information about the publication and 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award.

Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd @uakron.edu.