INDIANA, Pa. — Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine has received a $20 million boost from the Foundation for Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
“The foundation board is enthusiastic and unanimous in its support for this important initiative and we are proud to make this commitment for this project,” foundation President Regina Stover said in a release. “Our goal as a foundation is very clear: to help the university to achieve its goals by maximizing private support and sharing the board members’ time, talent and treasures and we firmly believe that his project will move the university forward and solidify IUP’s position as one of the leading institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania.”
The university’s council of trustees endorsed exploration of a college of osteopathic medicine in 2022 and IUP pursued that for several reasons, including to improve rural health access.
There are just three colleges of osteopathic medicine in the state with a high demand — in 2021, 22,708 applicants competed for 8,280 seats.
Miko Rose was hired as the founding dean of IUP’s proposed college in November 2023, one of the first steps to establishing the new offering.
IUP President Michael Driscoll said in a statement that he was “very grateful for the foundation’s financial acumen and its commitment to IUP.”
“The financial support from the foundation for IUP makes a real difference in the lives of our students,” he said.
The Foundation for IUP is a nonprofit with the goal of providing philanthropic support to the university.
The $20 million contribution is the latest in a series of commitments to the project.
The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2024 included $150,000 for the project; IUP’s Alumni Association Board of Directors donated $500,000; alumnus Rich Caruso pledged $1 million; state Sen. Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, announced $2 million was set aside in this year’s Pennsylvania budget; and alumni Nick Jacobs and Mary Ann Hoysan Jacobs donated $40,000.
Additionally, U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Washington, included the IUP’s proposed college in fiscal year 2025 requested community projects, and Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman added the contribution to his list to advance for community project funding.
First Published: June 19, 2024, 3:47 p.m.
Updated: June 20, 2024, 9:35 a.m.
