The Lucille and Edward R. Roybal Foundation will award four $5000 scholarships for the 2011-2012 academic year to four Master of Social Work (MSW) students at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work who plan to pursue health-care related careers that serve older adults.
MSW students Elizabeth Estrada, Julie Flores, Maira Garcia and Gabriela Quirarte were honored at a private event, which was sponsored by the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging housed at the School of Social Work, held at the USC University Club on Sept. 6. The four students who were awarded scholarships are in internships at community-based organizations that provide services to low-income, elders of color.
An integral part of the MSW curriculum at the School of Social Work is field education. Through internships in professional settings, students develop a deeper understanding of the core values and ethics of the social work profession and explore future career opportunities.
The Roybal Foundation is dedicated to carrying forward the legacy of Congressman Edward R. Roybal and his beloved wife Lucille Beserra-Roybal by providing financial support to students interested in the field of health care. In 2011, the inaugural year of the foundation’s internship award program, the foundation will provide $5000 scholarships to students from three partner institutions of higher education in Los Angeles, California.
The USC Roybal Institute at the School of Social Work is one of the three institutions that the Roybal Foundation chose to partner with because of its focus on older adult populations. The late congressman was a champion of health and aging services for vulnerable populations and co-founded the House Select Committee on Aging.
Named for Congressman Edward R. Roybal, the USC Roybal Institute is dedicated to translational research and training that promotes and sustains optimal physical, mental, and social functioning of older persons from low-income and multiethnic backgrounds so they may age successfully in their communities.