Newswise — STRATFORD – Thanks to the generous support of the Kal and Lucille Rudman Foundation, 25 high achieving area high school students will have a unique opportunity to raise their academic game this summer at one of the region’s premier medical schools.

The newly established RAISE (Recognizing Achievement and Inspiring Student Excellence) at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) is a tuition-free, six-week science enrichment program that will give 11th and 12th grade students from nine area high schools a chance to get hands-on experience under the guidance of physicians, faculty and research scientists at the acclaimed medical school, which was recently named as one of America’s best by U.S. News & World Report. The program begins Monday, July 10.

“We can only begin to express our gratitude to Kal and Lucille Rudman for providing us with the resources that enable us to offer this program,” said Paula Watkins, assistant dean for Admissions at RowanSOM. “Only high-achieving, highly qualified students will be accepted into this program, which will give them a real taste of what it’s like to pursue a career in medicine or advanced research in the biomedical sciences.”  

“We’re extremely fortunate that Rowan has enabled us to expand our reach to New Jersey and create a truly regional network for our longstanding mission,” says Kal Rudman. “Having found tremendous success jump-starting the medical education of tomorrow’s doctors in Philadelphia for over 20 years, the RAISE program we’ve created with Rowan elevates our work to an entirely new level. Lucille and I have been based in South Jersey for decades, and thanks to Rowan, we’re finally able to boost the futures of the best and brightest high school students in our back yard … in style!”

Representing a wide range of area schools, the 25 participants in this program are current students at Cherry Hill East; Eastern Regional; Haddonfield Memorial; Kingsway Regional; Overbrook; Paul VI; Sterling; Timber Creek Regional; or Washington Township High School.

The RAISE program allows selected high school students to gain valuable understanding of medical research and health care delivery through:

  • Shadowing of RowanSOM physicians in both the hospital and clinical office settings
  • Instructions on advanced medical research techniques from the medical school’s librarians
  • Classroom lectures on anatomy, genetics and current research into chronic diseases
  • Laboratory experiences that teach anatomical pathways through dissection.

Throughout the program, the high school students will be mentored by current Rowan medical students and graduate assistants. The mentors will assist the high school students in developing individual research projects that the RAISE students will present at the end of the program. The mentoring students will also chaperone field trips to science- and medicine related destinations.

To enhance team building, problem solving and leadership skills the high school students will also collectively participate in a group community service project. The project will involve a community organization and give the students the opportunity to develop a better understanding of the value of giving, empathy and compassion, all of which are essential skills for medical professionals.

Students and their parents will attend an orientation program on Friday, July 7, at 6 p.m., in the RowanSOM Academic Center, One Medical Center Drive, in Stratford.

About the Kal & Lucille Rudman Foundation

Kal Rudman is a music industry legend, former Today Show music expert, and noted philanthropist. His industry trade, The Friday Morning Quarterback, is invaluable reading for thousands of top music and industry professionals. Many artists, including Bruce Springsteen and Dolly Parton, have come to him for advice with their careers, and hoping to be featured in his magazine. Through the Kal and Lucille Rudman Foundation, the Rudmans have offered full scholarships for many city fire fighters and police, built and funded the Emmy winning TUTV (Temple University Television), and sponsors medical summer programs for deserving Philadelphia high school students at Drexel University College of Medicine in conjunction with Hahnemann Medical College, as well as Einstein Medical Center. The Rudman Foundation also provides annual university scholarships to graduating high school students through a mentorship program at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children – one of the oldest full-service hospitals in the United States totally dedicated to the care of children.

About Rowan University

Rowan University offers bachelor’s through doctoral programs to 17,360 students through its campuses in Glassboro, Camden and Stratford, New Jersey. In the past four years, Rowan opened the Camden-based Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and incorporated the School of Osteopathic Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, making Rowan only the second university in the nation to grant both M.D. and D.O. medical degrees. Rowan is collaborating with Rutgers-Camden to create degree programs in a College of Health Sciences in the City of Camden to meet the growing need for health professionals and contribute to the well-being and economic development of the region. One of only three state-designated public research institutions in New Jersey, Rowan comprises the William G. Rohrer College of Business; the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering; the colleges of Communication & Creative Arts; Education; Humanities & Social Sciences; Performing Arts; and Science & Mathematics; the School of Health Professions; the School of Earth & Environment; and the Division of Global Learning & Partnerships, as well as the medical schools.