Southwest College received a grant award of $24,000 from The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust on February 27. These funds will be used to purchase new diagnostic and exam equipment for the medical clinic that Southwest College sponsors at Hamilton Elementary School in the Murphy School District of South Phoenix. Student clinicians in their 3rd and 4th years at SCNM receive experience working with economically-disadvantaged children at this clinic, where a predominance of allergy and asthma conditions are seen.

According to The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, the organization “makes grants that continue founder Virginia Piper's commitment to improving the quality of life in Maricopa County through programs that support healthcare and medical research, children, older adults, arts and culture, education and religious organizations.”

A grant proposal was created and submitted to The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust by Director of Development, Susan Kavanaugh, in August 2006. Numerous meetings and discussions were held between the Trust and SCNM in advance of the submission to ensure that the College was meeting the goals and needs of the Trust. The award allows for improved patient care at the clinic, improved student education for the rotations at Hamilton Elementary, and the establishment of a long-term partnership with The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. “We are honored to have received the grant award for the Trust,” said Susan Kavanaugh. “This marks the beginning of a cooperative working relationship that will benefit thousands, especially our students.”

In late 2006 and in January 2007, the College received notification of three additional grant awards, obtained by the Department of Development, that play a significant role in advancing our College and improving the educational experience for students at SCNM. The Charles M. Bauervic Foundation, a Michigan-based organization that supports private colleges and universities, awarded $20,000 to SCNM for a specialized homeopathy training course and new IT servers to help improve technology for students at the College. SCNM has had a healthy ten-year relationship with The Charles M. Bauervic Foundation, receiving regularly increasing awards.

A Phoenix-based foundation that would like to remain anonymous awarded $100,000 in January of this year to SCNM for physical improvements at the Hamilton Elementary Clinic (please read our February 2007 SCNM Now! issue for greater details).

Finally, a grant proposal from the Department of Development to The Phoenix Rotary 100 in September of 2006 resulted in a gift of $1,500. The Phoenix Rotary 100 is a prestigious Rotary organization that includes business and professional leaders from Phoenix who are committed to improving the lives of those in the local community and around the world through education and healthcare. The funds from Rotary 100 will be used to purchase rolling exam stools and tables for The Murphy School District Welcome Center, a new medical clinic at which SCNM students will perform rotations due to open in September of this coming year.