Equipping new generations of medical professionals with training and tools for success is central to our goal of advancing innovative scientific research and clinical care. Teaming up with passionate and dedicated philanthropists, Cedars-Sinai made bold investments in education this year that will yield benefits for decades to come.

A donation of $30 million from The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation is establishing the Chuck Lorre School of Allied Health. This new school will provide students from historically underrepresented communities with the crucial skills and knowledge they need to have careers in healthcare. Students will be able to hone their technical abilities in six areas of work that are chronically understaffed: respiratory therapy, pharmacy technician training, clinical laboratory science, MRI technology, radiologic technology and echo/cardio technology.

“Choosing to collaborate with Cedars-Sinai, one of healthcare’s most respected institutions, was not a tough call for me,“ said Lorre, whose contributions have powered the medical center’s Youth Employment and Development Program for students at L.A.’s Fairfax High School since 2014. “Joining with Cedars-Sinai to create a school of allied health will allow us to see long-term impact in our communities.“

Visionary partners also supported education initiatives at Cedars-Sinai by funding unique fellowships that serve high-achieving students from diverse backgrounds. A $1 million gift from The Ray Charles Foundation—the organization’s second such donation since 2019—will sustain The Ray Charles Foundation Scholars Fund in Neurosurgery, drawing exceptional candidates from historically Black colleges and universities and offering exposure to and opportunities in neurosciences careers.

“The students chosen for this program are destined for greatness in the world of medicine,“ said Keith L. Black, MD, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery and the Ruth and Lawrence Harvey Chair in Neuroscience at Cedars-Sinai. “This funding from The Ray Charles Foundation is an invaluable catalyst for the program’s forward momentum.“