The Ray Charles Foundation aims to promote and enhance diversity in neurosciences by emphasizing student participation from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), empowering young people through education.
The Ray Charles Foundation Scholarship program supports third- or fourth-year undergraduate students, graduate students, and students enrolled in or awaiting acceptance to medical school or a residency program. Specifically targeting those from HBCUs, the scholarship enables up to two students per year to spend a year at Cedars-Sinai engaging in neuroscience research in areas like nanomedicine, Alzheimer’s disease, tumor immunology, the blood-brain barrier, and gene therapy. Scholars receive an annual salary, additional funding to offset housing and relocation costs to Los Angeles, and gain hands-on experience while learning from neuroscience leaders in a world-class facility.