UC High Student Grant Proposals Result in Ugandan Labs

UC High biomed students

Students in the University City High biomedical program wrote grant proposals that have resulted in more than $15,000 in equipment donations to a college in Uganda.

"Our students have demonstrated leadership, developed teamwork, and above all, gained an introduction to the world of grant writing, a necessary component in contemporary society,” said Ellie Vandiver, UC High Biomed instructor.

After hearing from Dr. Kathryn Ely, a representative of Quench and Connect, a program that helps provide clean water and educational supplies to secondary schools in that impoverished African nation. The benefactor chosen was Gayaza Cambridge College, which has been praised for its academic excellence. The school offers physics, biology and chemistry programs, but due to a lack of equipment, students cannot complete fundamental science labs.

Last school year, UC High students presented proposals to a panel of professionals consisting of PhDs, parents, administrators, grant writers and representatives from VWR International and Fisher Scientific, large science supply companies. Over the summer, VWR International decided to fund and supply 85 percent of the student proposed supplies. Fisher Scientific is currently evaluating if it can supply the remaining 15 percent.

For more information, please contact Vandiver at evandiver@sandi.net.