Alliance to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling

Description: Co-PIs Kathleen Valverde, PhD, LCGC, program director of the University of Pennsylvania Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program, and Daniel Rader, MD, Chair of the Department of Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, received a $9.5 million grant from the Warren Alpert Foundation to fund the Alliance to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling.

• The grant is administered by the University of Pennsylvania which works with a consortia of four other institutions: Boston University, the University of Maryland, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and Sarah Lawrence College.
• The Alliance to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling will provide scholarships to 50 genetic counseling students from groups under-represented in genetic counseling at the five participating genetic counseling programs through 2028.
• There are two scholarships available each year in each of the five programs. The grant covers tuition and fees and provides an educational fellowship to students who receive the scholarship, the Warren Alpert Scholars.
• The grant funds the Undergraduate Summer Internships in Genetic Counseling, which are designed to increase diversity in genetic counseling through outreach to students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Mission Statement: We support a culture of inclusivity where differences are valued and considered critical for the advancement of the genetic counseling profession. Through educational initiatives, research, and training, we aim to improve equity in healthcare and create a genetic counseling workforce that will reflect and best serve culturally diverse communities.

How to apply:  Applicants apply for admission to one or more of the consortia schools through each program’s typical application process, and according to each program’s individual admissions timeline, indicating their interest in the scholarship. Following interviews, applicants can rank the scholarship track in their NMS Match ranking list. The scholarships are awarded as part of the Match process.

Eligibility: We welcome applicants from backgrounds underrepresented in genetic counseling. 

Questions?  For more information you can contact the program directors at the participating schools or visit the AID-GC website at www.aid-gc.org.

• Program Flyer
• How to Apply