Scholarships and Student Support Funds

Donors may name the scholarship, which will be recognized as part of the Kay Bander Scholarship Program, in their own name, in honor of a beloved faculty member, or to pay tribute to a family member. Donors may also set the terms of the scholarship – directing support to a particular discipline, to first-generation students, under-represented students, students with financial need, or other priorities.

Scholarships can be funded by the donation of cash, securities, or appreciated assets, and payments can be spread over five years. Your endowed scholarship will provide much needed support to students in perpetuity.

msheffield [at] mghihp.edu (Giving Inquiry)

Kay Bander was a remarkable woman who claimed a front-row seat to an important and fascinating era in MGH history. Kay served as assistant to the general director of the MGH from 1969 through 1981, first working closely with John Knowles, MD, who led the hospital from 1961 to 1972, and then with Charles Sanders, MD, who was general director from 1972 to 1981. Both Dr. Knowles and Dr. Sanders were instrumental in the founding of MGH Institute of Health Professions.

As part of her role, Kay served as secretary of the General Executive Committee and was a member of or attended most of the hospital’s other major committees. Her involvement in so many decision-making centers helped her to understand the strategy, culture, personalities, and DNA of the MGH, and she quickly became a much-sought source of information and advice. When Dr. Sanders left the MGH to take on a leadership role at Squibb Pharmaceuticals in New Jersey, it was no wonder that he recruited Kay to go with him.

After Kay retired from the pharmaceutical industry in 1999, she began volunteering at the MGH, and became one of the most reliable and dedicated volunteers at the hospital. She logged more than 8,000 hours, with roles ranging from working in the Blum Patient and Family Learning Center, to serving on the Patient and Family Advisory Council, to interviewing patients about their hospital experience through the Continuous Care Initiative. Active in the Ladies Visiting Committee, she served as treasurer before becoming co-chair in 2014. In 2016 she received the Pat Rowell Extraordinary Volunteer Achievement Award for her dedication, perseverance, and longevity of service.

We are pleased to honor Kay through these scholarships that will forever be associated with her legacy.

The IHP established a scholarship to celebrate Linda and her many contributions to the IHP, the discipline of nursing, and the field of women’s health. Your support helps to continue and further Linda’s legacy. 

Give

Your support helps to continue and further BA's legacy. 

Give

BA Harris was the first graduate of the Institute, and has been a part of the growth and evolution of the graduate school from the very beginning. She became a faculty member in 1985 having served in clinical, research, and administrative positions at Massachusetts General Hospital Physical Therapy Services. She was Program Director of Graduate Programs in Physical Therapy (PT) from 1992 until 2002. During that time she oversaw the conversion of the Master of Science PT program to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree.  From 2002-2007, she was the Special Assistant for New Initiatives, Office of the President, and was the Interim Associate Academic Dean for Academic Year 2007-2008. From 2008-2012 BA was the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs. In 2011 BA became the Interim Director of the newly created Center for Interprofessional Studies and Innovation, now many of the programs fall within the School of Healthcare Leadership, but the interprofessional thread runs through all IHP programs.

Your support helps to continue and further Dr. Knowles' legacy. 

Give

Dr. John Hilton Knowles was President of Massachusetts General Hospital and one of the Institute’s founders. The Knowles family established the scholarships in his memory. Dr. Knowles and his family (pictured) recognize the important contribution that our students will make as future leaders of their various disciplines.

Your support helps to continue and further Dr. Sanders' legacy. 

Give

In 1977, Dr. Charles Sanders used his influence and prestige as General Director of Massachusetts General Hospital to ensure the dream envisioned by him and Dr. John Hilton Knowles led to the successful creation of a health sciences graduate school that would be like no other – MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Your support helps to further Christopher's legacy and the education of our students. 

Give

When 2007 Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate Christopher Norman unexpectedly passed away in 2010, it spurred his former classmates, faculty, and his family to develop a way to honor him and his memory.

Since Chris was an avid runner, a perfect opportunity arrived when John Hancock Financial Services provided the Institute with two slots in the 2011 Boston Marathon.

Classmate Janis Greim CSD '07, CCC-SLP, volunteered to run the race to raise money to establish the Christopher Norman Educational Fund.

Between the support of classmates, other speech-language pathologist alumni, faculty, and a matching gift challenge offered by the Norman Family, more than $15,000 was raised to provide funding for student involvement in education endeavors with a preference for stuttering issues.

The Institute continues to be grateful for the sustaining support of the Christopher Norman Educational Fund, which helps students in the Communication Science and Disorders program take full advantage of educational opportunities at the Institute and beyond. 

The Fund will distribute one award of approximately $1,000 per year to support the research dissertation expenses not covered by other sources of funding of any PhD candidate at their dissertation stage. Students apply to the Executive Committee of the PhD Program who will make the award decision. All things being equal, a CSD student would receive preference but the award is available to students from all disciplines. 

Give

Distributions will be made for:

• Travel by students, faculty, or staff to domestic or international interprofessional meetings or conferences where participants will expand their understanding of interprofessional education and bring new ideas back to the IHP; and/or
• To seed new interprofessional projects at the IHP; and/or
• To support a faculty member or student to attend a course on interprofessional education.

Give

Leslie Portney, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, retired following a distinguished career of 50 years in physical therapy, more than half spent as a member of the faculty at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Leslie’s impact on the Institute has been profound, having served as the Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy and the Inaugural Dean of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS). In that capacity, she expanded SHRS to 600 students and more than 60 faculty, from just two programs, Physical Therapy and Communications and Disorders, to now six programs, including Physician Assistant Studies, Occupational Therapy, a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences, and Genetic Counseling.

One of her most substantial contributions was as a leader in interprofessional education, establishing a strong integrated approach across programs at the Institute, and academic-practice partnerships that have served as models both nationally and internationally.

Leslie has also been a remarkable leader in the American Physical Therapy Association, serving as the inaugural president of American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT), the chair of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), and being honored as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the APTA. Her commitment, energy and steadfast vision have provided many opportunities for the physical therapy profession to grow, and for the educational community to move forward.