Vertex Awards Two Boston Public High School Students the Vertex Science Leaders Scholarship to the University of Massachusetts
August 19 2015 - 2:35PM
Business Wire
Hosts August 19th back to school event with
Bottom Line for 200+ first-generation college students
Vertex and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) today
announced the recipients of the annual Vertex Science Leaders
Scholarship, a four-year scholarship to pursue their education in
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) at any UMass
campus. The annual scholarship is part of a broad program developed
by Vertex to enhance STEM education for Boston’s youth.
This year’s recipients are two students from Excel High
School.
- Cankang Wu plans to study engineering
at UMass Amherst. Cankang emigrated with his family from China and
will be the first to attend college. As a child he developed an
early interest in engineering and technology after spending his
days at his father’s wood-processing factory.
- Gladynel Baez will attend UMass Boston
to study biology and has aspirations of becoming a doctor. She was
inspired to pursue a career in science after losing two aunts and
her grandfather to cancer and spending time in Vertex’s Learning
Lab.
In 2012 Vertex solidified its commitment to STEM education and
Boston’s youth through a comprehensive program that includes:
- Annual four-year Vertex Science
Leaders Scholarship to a UMass campus;
- Thomas M. Menino Learning Lab -
a 3,000 square foot classroom and laboratory space in our Fan Pier
campus dedicated to enhancing science education among Boston Public
School students;
- High school and college
internships;
- Science Fair Mentorship program
- students are paired with a Vertex mentor and receive guidance on
science fair projects at the school and state level.
“Vertex is committed to developing the next generation of
scientific leaders by sparking and fostering an early interest in
science,” said Jeffrey Leiden, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Vertex. “Our programs fill an
important need for hands-on training and will help reduce
achievement and access gaps for underserved students, while
preparing them for a bright future in life sciences. For the past
two years Cankang and Gladynel grew with Vertex as interns and
spent extensive time in our Learning Lab. We’re delighted to see
the tremendous passion they’ve developed for STEM.”
“In order for our young people to have bright futures, we must
do our part to create the opportunities that foster pathways to
success,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “I thank Vertex for
continuing to support our future and our community, and
congratulate Cankang and Gladynel on these deserving honors.”
“We are honored to welcome Cankang and Gladynel to the UMass
family,” said University of Massachusetts President Martin T.
Meehan. “We share Vertex’s commitment to investing in Boston’s
youth and enhancing science education in the community.”
This year Vertex also is partnering with Bottom Line, an
organization that helps underserved, first-generation students get
into college and succeed through mentoring and support throughout
their college careers. Today, August 19, 2015 Vertex will host
Bottom Line’s Annual Success Send-Off Event to celebrate the start
of school for more than 200 first-generation college students who
are part of the Bottom Line program. Students like Cankang and
Gladynel will participate in team building activities and have the
opportunity to meet their Bottom Line Success Counselor and other
Bottom Line students attending the same college in the fall.
“We’re proud of these students and all the hard work they’ve put
into their academics to get them here,” said Mike Wasserman,
Massachusetts Executive Director at Bottom Line. “It’s partnerships
like this, with Vertex and UMass, that allow us to provide guidance
and support for students who want to thrive and grow, particularly
in this next chapter of their lives and we can’t wait to see the
great things they accomplish.”
About VertexVertex is a global biotechnology company that
aims to discover, develop and commercialize innovative medicines so
people with serious diseases can lead better lives. In addition to
our clinical development programs focused on cystic fibrosis,
Vertex has more than a dozen ongoing research programs aimed at
other serious and life-threatening diseases. Founded in 1989
in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex today has research and development
sites and commercial offices in the United
States, Europe, Canada and Australia. For five years
in a row, Science magazine has named Vertex one of its
Top Employers in the life sciences. For additional information and
the latest updates from the company, please
visit www.vrtx.com.
About the University of MassachusettsThe
University of Massachusetts has been serving the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts with dedication and distinction for the past 150
years and is consistently rated as one of the world's best
universities. Each year UMass educates more than 70,000 students
and confers more than 15,000 degrees at its five campuses located
in Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell and Worcester.
About Bottom LineBottom Line was founded in Boston in
1997 to help low-income and first-generation students get into
college, graduate from college and go far in life. The organization
serves approximately 3,000 high school seniors and college students
from Boston and Worcester.
(VRTX-GEN)
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150819006098/en/
MEDIA:Vertex
Pharmaceuticals IncorporatedJenna McPhee, 617-341-6536Cell:
617-366-7263jenna_mcphee@vrtx.comorUniversity of
MassachusettsPamela Jonah, 617-878-2018Cell:
781-956-6865pam_jonah@howellcomm.comorBottom LineJessica Dionne,
617-692-0543Cell: 860-977-1041Jessica.Dionne@Fleishman.com
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