Members of the Class of 2028 proudly showed off their new white coats at the annual White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 5, 2024. Image: Steve Lipofsky
Harvard Medical School is committed to making a world-class education accessible and affordable through its twin values of need-blind admissions and need-based aid. This commitment is strengthened by the generous contributions of donors who believe in the power of education and the importance of nurturing future medical professionals. Recent donations from Allison W. Kurian, MD ’99, and Thomas Kurian; the estate of Roman W. DeSanctis, MD ’55; and the Walter Lee Barker and Betty Ruth Barker Foundation are pivotal in sustaining and enhancing HMS’s dedication to educational excellence and accessibility.
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Allison W. Kurian and Thomas Kurian
As previous supporters of the REACH Scholarship Program, the Kurians have deepened their commitment by establishing the Allison W. Kurian, MD ’99 and Thomas Kurian REACH Scholarship Fund. The REACH Program makes accepting admission to HMS more feasible for students with need and from disadvantaged backgrounds. This new fund directly aids students who demonstrate Resilience, Excellence, Achievement, Compassion, and a commitment to Helping the underserved. “We are inspired by the tremendous dedication and accomplishments of HMS students and consider it a privilege to contribute to their support through the REACH Scholarship Program," says Allison Kurian.
The Estate of Roman W. DeSanctis
The late Roman W. DeSanctis, a devoted HMS benefactor for 45 years, made a significant gift through his estate to create the Roman and Ruth DeSanctis Endowed Financial Aid Fund. DeSanctis served as a Class Agent, chaired Reunion Committees for his class, and participated on the HMS Alumni Council. As a grateful scholarship recipient, he became active in development after retiring from practicing medicine in 2014. His gift ensures that future generations can pursue medical education regardless of financial constraints. In his 60th Reunion Report, he reflected to his classmates, “As I said in a speech to Harvard Medical School graduates, we are so fortunate to have been in our chosen profession of medicine—we have gone to work every day with no other mandate than to relieve pain and suffering and try to heal the sick.”
The Walter Lee Barker and Betty Ruth Barker Foundation
Established after the passing of Walter Lee Barker, AB ’49, MD ’53, in 2020, the Walter Lee Barker and Betty Ruth Barker Foundation recently made a substantial contribution to the HMS Scholarship Fund. Walter Barker, whose generosity spanned 40 years of giving to HMS, firmly believed in the foundational role of education at HMS, particularly the impact of mentors in shaping tomorrow’s physicians. “Harvard Medical School has always provided the necessary keystones and building blocks not only for excellence of medical education, but also for the development of sound quality parameters in order to provide that same excellence to the delivery of medical services to our patients,” Barker wrote in his 60th Reunion Report.
Welcome to Harvard Medical School, Class of 2028!
Medical and dental students created and recited their own oath during their first week at HMS.