Thank You
President’s Message
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science has been called a hidden gem for the work we have done in relative anonymity since our founding in 1966. Those days are behind us as we evolve from a hidden gem into a shining jewel of South Los Angeles and a beacon for those seeking to achieve health equity everywhere. We serve the underserved. We represent the underrepresented. We are CDU.
We have come so far from our humble beginnings as a collection of mobile trailers in a dirt field located in the middle of a community reeling from a civil uprising that shook the world. We’ve grown to encompass three schools that offer nearly twenty different undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs that go beyond providing education to instilling values and compassion like no other university can.
CDU’s commitment to equity and inclusion has made us the #2 school in America for student and faculty diversity. We are thrilled about this accolade because we continue to train our students to provide health services and perform research with excellence and compassion. In turn, a majority of our students indicate they intend to practice in their communities once graduating from our institution. In recent years, CDU has been repeatedly cited as a top school for our alumni early career salaries and growth. Not just among medical schools or minority-serving institutions, but in the nation!
We have made tremendous progress and the momentum is in our favor. We now undertake an ambitious $75 million comprehensive fundraising campaign to help fuel our mission and propel our vision. I invite you to join us on our journey to excellent health and wellness for all in a world without health disparities. The roads to such lofty destinations are more easily traveled when not traveling alone. Together we can achieve a better future for our students and our society.
Overarching Goals
01.
INVEST IN STUDENT SUCCESS | $20 MILLION
Scholarships – Many CDU students are the first in their families to attend college. Over 90% of them receive some form of financial aid and often require scholarships to complete their education and earn their degrees. Investing in the lives of these deserving students pays enormous dividends via direct economic impact to various regions, and most importantly, an upwards shift in social mobility for them and their families.
02.
GROW GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25 MILLION
General Fund – CDU’s maintains operational excellence through faculty and staff development, new academic programs and projects, information system and other technological improvements, remodeling, building renovation and modernization, as well as new construction, deferred maintenance and other initiatives and priorities not covered by tuition or fees. Support for our unrestricted fund allows CDU to pursue the highest ideals of medicine and science training with a sharp focus on reducing health disparities.
03.
CAPITAL INVESTMENT – BUILD A STATE-OF-THE-ART HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION BUILDING | $30 MILLION
CDU carries on its shoulders the responsibility of educating ethno-competent healthcare professionals in order to support the dynamic and every-changing health needs of our world. With a new Health Professions Education Building
(HPEB), CDU will have the physical infrastructure to directly address our mission and meet the demand.
CDU RISING: The answer to healthcare equity & social justice
Campaign Goal: $75,000,000
Number of Students Impacted
About the Campaign
Rising from the ashes of the Watts Rebellion in 1966, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science (CDU) has dedicated its tenet to answering the call for healthcare equity and social justice. Leading nationwide efforts to serve those who are often underserved and underrepresented.
Through an unprecedented $75 million campaign, we will invest in student success by prioritizing the expansion of scholarships and support services. With increased capacity of our general operations, we will grow core programs and strengthen the reach of our teacher-scholars utilizing the CDU Advantage, our unique education model. To accommodate our growth, we will build a state-of-the-art health professions education building to house our own 4-year medical school, increasing our space to broaden our local, national, and global impact for social justice and healthcare equity.
Campaign Goals
Campaign Co-Chairs
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science is on the cusp of an extraordinary effort; a $75 million comprehensive campaign that will facilitate CDU Rising. An incredible opportunity to bolster our student success efforts, increase the footprint of our impact, and provide scholarships for future healthcare heroes.
As Co-Chairs of the campaign, we are keenly aware of CDU’s story and history. It is one of perseverance, triumph, and courage. We stand on the shoulders of giants who foresaw the need for a university dedicated to healthcare equity and social justice and set forth to create a pedagogy intended to provide the knowledge, skills, and academic vigor to address healthcare disparities in our communities.
We are ever so grateful for their vision, and with your help, we can continue to build on the great works of those leaders. With your investment, we will write new chapters of CDU’s history. Ones filled with opportunities for students from disenfranchised populations, empowered faculty with state-of-the-art facilities and development, and a university unwavering in its promise of academic excellence.
Your Donations at Work
Contact Us
Ready to Invest?
Call (323) 563-5983 or email advancement@cdrewu.edu and please leave a message.
