John,

Supporting talented innovators in the STEM fields -- science, technology, engineering, and math -- is integral to our economy, our health, and our future. With so much at stake, the persistent lack of diversity in STEM is a major challenge -- and a missed opportunity.

Today, through the latest investment of our Bloomberg Philanthropies Greenwood Initiative, we're working to change that.

We're proud to announce the Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, a $150 million effort to address historic underrepresentation in STEM fields and prepare a new, more diverse generation of researchers and scholars. Watch this short video to learn more about this important effort:

The program is named for Vivien Thomas, who -- despite not being able to attend medical school and facing overwhelming racial discrimination -- produced groundbreaking research, pioneered new treatments including a cardiac surgery technique to treat "blue baby syndrome," and taught generations of surgeons at Johns Hopkins University. In 1976, after decades of work, Thomas was finally recognized for his contributions -- earning an honorary doctorate from JHU and being named an instructor of surgery at their world-class School of Medicine.

The Initiative created in Thomas' memory will provide permanent funding for a sustained cohort of approximately 100 new slots for diverse PhD students in JHU’s more than 30 STEM programs, and offer them academic support and up to six years of full tuition, travel, health insurance and stipends. Support will also be given to six Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions to strengthen the pathways for their talented STEM students to JHU and elsewhere, and research opportunities will be provided for other promising undergraduates interested in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Watch the video to learn more how the new program will help Johns Hopkins, America's first research university, graduate more diverse PhD recipients, bringing new voices and backgrounds to STEM industries and workforces:

https://www.bloomberg.org/videos/vivien-thomas-scholars-initiative/

The Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative marks the third investment of our Greenwood Initiative, following a $100 million partnership with the nation's four historically Black medical schools to help ease the debt burden of approximately 800 Black medical students, and more than $6 million to those four schools to increase their mobile unit COVID-19 vaccination efforts and help ensure equitable access to vaccines within Black communities.

By supporting this latest $150 million effort, Mike and Bloomberg Philanthropies are committed to toppling structural barriers of the past to help strengthen our future. As Mike says in the video, "We can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the highest levels of STEM fields, and that's critical if we want to solve the world's greatest challenges."

Thanks,

Bloomberg Philanthropies