Esperanza College of Eastern University (ECEU) hosted its third annual Minorities in Health Science Symposium on Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. Nearly 300 high-school students from the Greater Philadelphia area, including Esperanza Academy and Esperanza Cyber students, gathered for a day of hands-on science activities at Esperanza’s state of the art laboratories. Dynamic panel discussions with a diverse group of health professionals and graduate students took place at the new Teatro Esperanza building.
Panel speakers included: Dr. Maribel Hernandez, Co-Director of the Women’s Heart Initiative at Main Line Hospital; Cathy Hatcher, Associate Professor of Physiology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; Jesse Roman, CEO of the Korman Respiratory Institute at the Jefferson University Hospital; and Dr. Nilsa Graciani, Chief STEM Officer at Esperanza and Director of STEM at Esperanza College.
Dr. Graciani explained that “exposing students early to professionals that look like them inspires them to pursue their goals and continue their education. It also gives them motivation and realization that successful people may have gone through similar struggles faced by the students on a regular basis and were able to overcome them.”
The event was made possible thanks to our generous sponsors: Thomas Jefferson University, Independence Blue Cross, Penn Dental Medicine, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Einstein Healthcare Network, Econsult Solutions, Philadelphia Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), AETNA, Health Partners Plans, Penn Medicine, and Exude Inc. Esperanza College is grateful to all of the individuals and partner organizations that participated in the Minorities in Health Science Symposium this year.
For more information about Esperanza College and careers in health science visit www.esperanza.eastern.edu .