New endowed fund to foster next generation of women’s health leaders  

 

To close the gap between women’s health research and other scientific disciplines, Ward and Mari Walstrom of Harbor Springs have made a $1 million gift to bolster education and research in the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. 

 

The Walstrom Family Endowed Women’s Health Research Fund is creating an early-career training program to increase the number of scientists and clinicians pursuing a lifelong career focused on women’s health care and research. 

 

The program pairs medical and graduate students with research teams and will support independent research projects. Four College of Human Medicine early-career graduate students, including one third-year medical student, were recently selected and awarded the endowed funds; each will utilize the philanthropic funds to push forward current research projects, which would not have been otherwise possible. 

 

Three Spartans describe the impact the gift will have on women’s health. Dr. Richard Leach is professor and chair of the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health. Shannon Harkins is a PhD candidate and Walstrom fund recipient. And Roksolana Sudyk is a future Spartan MD and Walstrom fund recipient.

 

Conversation Highlights:

 

(0:19) – Leach on the strengths, mission, and evolving excellence of the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.  

 

(5:01) – Leach on the Walstroms and the impact of their gift. 

 

(11:24) – Sudyk on her path to MSU, her passion for women’s health, and meeting the Walstroms.

 

(15:54) – Harkins on her passion for women’s health, her research project, and meeting the Walstroms.

 

(31:02) – Sudyk was attracted to MSU by the College of Human Medicine’s focus on women’s health and equity. And she describes her research project.