b'TWO-YEAR GRANT SUPPORTS NURSING NMSU Foundation receives $250,000 grant from Bank of America for its Progresando programBased on population growth and increasing needs for quality health care, Hispanic-Latinos continue to face disproportionate barriers to access, availability, and affordability of health care. As part of its commitment to advance opportunities for communities of color, Bank of America is expanding education and employment opportunities for Hispanic-Latino adults, and connecting them with healthcare careers that offer long-term stability and prosperity. Through the Progresando initiative, a partnership with education firm EAB, the bank directed a $250,000 grant over two years to the New Mexico State University Foundation. The grant will help NMSU photo by Josh BachmanHispanic-Latino students pursue health-related degrees in order to increase representation and address medical workforce shortages. The initiative also aims to increase representation and address the shortage of culturally sensitive, Spanish-speaking health providers.With Hispanic residents underrepresented in the health care industry, NMSU has many programsDr. Cheryl Lombardi talks over a microphone that is connected to the medical mannequin as NMSU nursing professors supporting this field of study to remove barriersobserve students during in-class demonstrations.and provide access, which is why the bank wanted to continue expanding their work through thisthe grant will allow students to purchase medicalIwasaki, Dean, NMSUs College of Health, Education investment, said Paul Mondragn, President, Bankterminology translation software, made availableand Social Transformation. As a result, they often of America New Mexico. As a proud Aggie myself,in a student computer lab at NMSUs School ofchange majors or withdraw from school completely, I am pleased to include NMSU in our efforts to helpNursing, which will help students learn and feelcreating a persistent shortage of people entering more local Hispanic-Latino students gain educationmore comfortable speaking complex terms inhealth fields. With help from the Bank of America and workforce experience as they chart theirSpanish. grant, we can break this cycle.economic and professional path in New Mexico. Students were hitting roadblocks in statistics Bank of Americas grant will help NMSU hire andclasses, writing classes and classes with train seven additional tutors and peer mentorscomplicated medical terminology, especially when to help 300 Hispanic-Latino students. Further,English is not their first language, said Yoshitaka 8 2022 Annual Report'