Published Nov. 13, 2021
The University of Louisiana Monroe Physical Therapy program has received significant
financial contributions, which the ULM Foundation will announce at 1 p.m. on Tuesday,
Nov. 16, in room I-64 of Walker Hall.
Representatives of Nexion Health and Reliant Rehabilitation will present a $10,000
check to the ULM College of Health Sciences to launch the Physical Therapy program.
Nexion Health and Reliant Rehabilitation, along with contributions from other generous
donors, have established the $100,000 ULM Physical Therapy First Generation Scholarship
for full-time, first-generation students pursuing an undergraduate degree with the
intent to apply to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Catherine Estis, Ph.D., Director of TRIO Programs at ULM, said assisting first-generation
students is vital to the completion of their education goals.
“The struggles of first-generation students are well known; the ULM Physical Therapy
First Generation Scholarship will aid students to pursue STEM careers which change
not only their life, but the lives of their family, communities, and future generations,”
Estis said.
Dean of the College of Health Sciences, Don Simpson, said as a first-generation student,
“I understand how significant this contribution is. According to the U.S. Department
of Education, students whose parents did not attend college are more than twice as
likely to leave college within the first year.”
“This generous gift will be used to reach rural underserved and underrepresented populations
throughout the Mississippi Delta of Northeast Louisiana and will make the dream of
first-generation students pursuing graduate studies a reality by allowing them to
enter the DPT program at a much better point with much less debt than their program
classmates,” Simpson said.
The Louisiana Board of Regents First Generation Scholarship subprogram was established
to increase college access and success for low-income, first-generation students.
First-generation students are those whose parents did not attend college. The 1st
Gen subprogram offers 20 percent matching funds to 80 percent private donations.
The ULM Physical Therapy First Generation Scholarship guarantees at least $4,000 annually
as financial aid to eligible students.
