$1.5 million from Kansas Health Foundation will strengthen public health in the state
Steve Coen
KANSAS CITY, Kan. - A $1.5 million gift from Kansas Health Foundation will enhance healthcare in the state of Kansas. The gift provides support for growing the leadership for the planned University of Kansas School of Public Health.
In 2010, the Kansas Board of Regents endorsed KU's plan to establish the school. KU Endowment's fundraising efforts to launch the school are ongoing, and this gift provides an important leap forward.
"With the creation of the new School of Public Health, KU will continue to play a crucial role in the education and training of our state's public health workforce," said Steve Coen, president and CEO of Kansas Health Foundation. "The foundation is pleased to once again partner with KU as the new school is formed."
KU's School of Public Health will span KU campuses in Kansas City, Wichita, Salina, Lawrence and Overland Park. The program will foster collaborative research, education and service among Kansas Regents institutions, the public health practice community and other public health agencies throughout the state. Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention.
KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said this is an important gift for the health of the state.
"KU's School of Public Health will strengthen the public health workforce statewide and give communities the research and guidance they need to improve the lives of their residents. These benefits will be statewide, and benefit Kansans wherever they live," Gray-Little said.
Kansas Health Foundation is a private philanthropy dedicated to improving the health of all Kansans. For more information, visit the Kansas Health Foundation website.
The gift is part of Far Above: The Campaign for Kansas, the university's comprehensive fundraising campaign.
The campaign is managed by KU Endowment, the independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fundraising and fund-management organization for KU. Founded in 1891, KU Endowment was the first foundation of its kind at a U.S. public university.