$2 Million in Scholarships Dedicated to Support Healthcare Career Dreams

$2 Million in Scholarships Dedicated to Support Healthcare Career Dreams

Priority Given to Economically Disadvantaged Students in Six San Antonio School Districts

Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio (BHFSA), the Tenet Healthcare Foundation and Baptist Health System are pleased to announce a $2 million scholarship program that will help make a higher education accessible for economically disadvantaged high school graduates in our community who want to pursue a career in healthcare.

As a part of BHFSA's traditional scholarship program (initiated in 2005), this new initiative is being managed by and funded with a $1,076,000 grant from BHFSA. A generous gift of $1,000,000 to be paid over the next five years is being given to the scholarship program from the Tenet Healthcare Foundation, part of Tenet Healthcare, the parent company of Baptist Health System.

The need-based scholarships will go to students enrolled in health-related academic programs at the Bachelor’s degree level and below. Priority will be given to graduates from six school districts: Edgewood, Harlandale, San Antonio, South San Antonio, Southside, and Southwest. After being awarded to students in the six school districts, remaining funds will be awarded to graduates from other San Antonio area school districts. Scholarship dollars will be given to 12 universities and colleges in the San Antonio area that have health related academic programs such as Nursing, Pharmacology, Social Work, Psychology, Nutrition, Dental, Medical, Counseling, Therapeutic Care, Hospital Administration, and EMT. Scholarships will also be awarded to students enrolled in post‐baccalaureate health related programs on the basis of need and merit.

Cody Knowlton, President and CEO of BHFSA, said giving priority to these high school districts presents a double opportunity to impact the health of the community. “First, by making an education possible to those who need it most, and second, since education is the great equalizer, having an education leads to better health, better jobs, better family life, better housing and better opportunities to get out of poverty,” said Knowlton. “This priority does not exclude students with need in other school districts around San Antonio. It just gives the first shot to those six districts that have the highest need.”

“It is our privilege to help support the education of the next generation of healthcare providers,” said Ron Rittenmeyer, Executive Chairman and CEO of Tenet Healthcare. “When we invest in the education and training of our young people, we help secure the health and wellness of generations to come.”

“This scholarship ensures that our future caregivers represent a cross section of our community and rewards students who have excelled but who may not have equal access to the resources needed to realize their dreams of a career in healthcare, said Matt Stone,” President and CEO of Baptist Health System and board member of the Tenet Healthcare Foundation. “We are very excited to be a part of helping to make dreams come true for these students and their families.”

San Antonio College is one of the 12 schools that will receive funds for the new scholarship. “Access to this type of support can mean a lifetime of difference for a student,” said Dr. Robert Vela, President of San Antonio College. “It’s the start that many of our students need to put them on a path of success for the rest of their lives.”

“This type of commitment to our community is exactly what we need to help San Antonio grow and thrive,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. “When we help those in our community that have worked hard to overcome challenging situations, they often pay that forward when they succeed. So it’s this type of investment in our young people that pays dividends for decades.”

Some of the factors taken into consideration in selecting the priority districts included the percent of population below the poverty level, per capita income, unemployment levels, educational attainment, crowding level (percentage of housing units with more than one occupant per room), dependency amount (combined percent of the population under age 18 and above age 65), affordable rental costs and life expectancy.

Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio has awarded more than 10,000 scholarships since its inception for a total of nearly $12 million.

About Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio

Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio was established in 2004 from proceeds of the Baptist Health System sale to Vanguard Health Systems of Nashville, TN. Its purpose is to fund not-for-profit healthcare services and health education in Bexar County and surrounding counties. Its mission is to be committed to improving the health of its community by fostering and funding clinical, educational, spiritual and scientific initiatives while honoring God and its Baptist heritage.

About Tenet Healthcare

Tenet Healthcare Corporation is a diversified healthcare services company with 115,000 employees united around a common mission: to help people live happier, healthier lives. Through its subsidiaries, partnerships and joint ventures, including United Surgical Partners International, the Company operates general acute care and specialty hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care centers and other outpatient facilities in the United States and the United Kingdom. Tenet’s Conifer Health Solutions subsidiary provides technology-enabled performance improvement and health management solutions to hospitals, health systems, integrated delivery networks, physician groups, self-insured organizations and health plans. For more information, please visit www.tenethealth.com.

About Baptist Health System

Baptist Health System is a trusted provider of hospital, health and wellness services in San Antonio and South Texas. The System includes six acute-care hospitals (Baptist Medical Center, Mission Trail Baptist Hospital, North Central Baptist Hospital, Northeast Baptist Hospital, and St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital) in San Antonio, and Resolute Health Hospital in New Braunfels, which offer more than 1,700 licensed beds. The Baptist Orthopedic Hospital and Baptist Children’s Hospital are located on the campus of North Central Baptist. The hospitals have Accredited Chest Pain and Primary Stroke Center Certifications. The system also includes Baptist Regional Children’s Center, Baptist Breast Center, Baptist Cancer Center, South Texas Lung Institute, Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, and HealthLink fitness and physical rehabilitation centers. Other affiliated entities include seven MedPost Urgent Care Centers, seven freestanding Baptist Emergency Hospitals, Baptist Physician Network, Baptist M&S Imaging Centers, ambulatory services, medical office buildings and the Baptist School of Health Professions. The system is part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, based out of Dallas, Texas.