Our Mission
The Joan C. Edwards Charitable Foundation is dedicated to investing in young people eager to learn and grow in science and medicine.
Through scholarships, mentorships, and long-standing partnerships with schools, universities, hospitals, corporations, and other organizations, the Foundation builds enduring pathways for young people to explore, enter, and thrive in science and medicine. Along the way, we foster not just professional success, but empathy, community, and a commitment to serve.
We support scholars from early stages of education through to the launch of their careers and beyond. Through financial support, public and private partnerships, and community building, our work extends beyond creating access to education; we open doors to careers in medicine and science, empower students to make authentic choices, and help build a network of future physicians, scientists, and leaders who give back to their communities to build on the next generation’s curiosity about science and medicine.
Creating Opportunity Through Education
We remove the financial and systemic barriers that stand in the way of a future in medicine—while also unlocking freedom of choice and possibility.
Building Pathways from Curiosity to Career
We create proximity-powered partnerships that offer students real-world exposure to science, medicine, and engineering—starting in the secondary stages of education and extending to college and medical school.
Investing in Enduring Impact
We support students for the long haul—and strengthen the institutions and systems that help them thrive.
Cultivating Thriving Communities
Our most valuable asset is the growing community of scholars, professionals, and partners formed around the Foundation’s goals—where students, mentors, educators, and alumni support each other across time and experience.
Creating Leaders Who Serve Their Communities
We prepare students not just to succeed, but to return—bringing skill, compassion, and representation to the communities that raised them.
Building Pathways to Success
Our work removes the financial and systemic barriers that stand in the way of a future in medicine while also unlocking freedom of choice and possibility. We create proximity-powered partnerships that offer students real-world exposure to science, medicine, and engineering starting in the secondary stages of education and extending to college and medical school. The foundation and its partners prepare students not just to succeed, but to return—bringing skill, compassion, and representation to the communities that raised them.
We support students for the long haul and strengthen the institutions and systems that help them thrive. Our most valuable asset is the growing community of scholars, professionals, and partners formed around the Foundation’s goals—where students, mentors, educators, and alumni support each for success today and in the future.
The Role of Education in Science and Medicine
Empowering Future Generations Through Science and Medicine Education
Voices of Our Scholars
We're tapping into our community as Edwards Scholars, and making a network for ourselves to pass down knowledge to help others in the community succeed.
Nichola Bomani Gonzalez
Resident Physician
Lehigh Valley Health
I didn’t have anyone in my family to guide me through the process of medical school, so connecting with other Scholars helped me see what was possible and how to get there.
Suhib Jamal
Pediatrician
UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital
As the first doctor in my family, I leaned on the guidance and support I found at the Cleveland School of Science & Medicine to navigate a path I knew nothing about.
Nichelle Ruffin
Assistant Professor, Clinical Family Medicine & Community | Penn Medicine