On Wednesday, May 26th, the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine check presented a $400,000 gift to New Mexico State University.
This is the fifth annual gift to NMSU, as part of an ongoing partnership agreement between the two instiutions. The gifted funds support the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine Endowed Scholarship at NMSU.
The gift was presented by the Burrell College co-founder and President John L. Hummer and Dean Bill Pieratt, DO, and was received by NMSU President Dr. John Floros, NMSU Chancellor Dr. Dan Arvizu, and Derek Dictson, vice president of the NMSU Foundation.
“This annual gift represents Burrell College’s vision to impact the health outcomes of this region in a long-lasting way, by creating a pathway for students to pursue medical school while they are still in their undergraduate studies,” says president Hummer. “The innovative partnership between Burrell College and NMSU will benefit this region for decades to come.”
The scholarship, which is administered by the NMSU Foundation, supports freshman New Mexico residents with financial needs who are part of the Osteopathic Medicine Pathway Program (OMPP) at the Las Cruces campus.
The OMPP program is a unique opportunity for students who are interested in a career as a physician. Through a dynamic partnership with Burrell College, the OMPP allows incoming NMSU freshmen a multitude of opportunities to interact with the southern New Mexico healthcare community. OMPP students learn from professionals in the industry through seminars, research, and internships. The OMPP program guarantees admission to Burrell College if the program members maintain a 3.3 GPA and score at least a 500 on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
“This gift is part of a long-standing collaboration between NMSU and Burrell College, to develop a path for undergraduate students interested in a career in health and medicine,” says Dean Pieratt. “We look forward to meeting the NMSU students who will receive these scholarship funds and discussing their plans for their future careers in medicine.”
The Burrell College has donated $1.55 million to the NMSU Foundation to date.
