Trocaire College and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center partner to launch Roswell Scholars program


Dr. Johnson and Dr. Deeb sign MOU

First of its kind program creates a career pathway from student to employee

To improve career pathways for students in the health sciences, Trocaire College and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center have partnered to launch the Roswell Scholars program.

Beginning Fall 2022, 10 Trocaire students will be accepted into the program annually to work onsite at the Buffalo-based cancer center with Roswell Park staff to learn about potential career paths with the goal of being hired upon completion of their degree. Roswell Park will provide mentors and shadow days, as well as professional development seminars to these students on an annual basis.

“Education has, and always will be, a central tenet of Roswell Park’s mission,” said Candace S. Johnson, Ph.D., President, CEO and M&T Bank Presidential Chair in Leadership, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The program with Trocaire is our chance to share our knowledge and expertise about the latest innovations in cancer care and research to best equip students to enter the healthcare workforce, and we hope that many of these nurses in training will one day join our team at the cancer center.”

Trocaire will provide annual $1,000 scholarships to program participants and facilitate educational programming that will complement and connect the students’ Roswell Park experience to their curriculum or training. In addition, Roswell Park will also provide the opportunity for students and graduates of the Roswell Scholars program to apply and interview for open positions that they are qualified for.

“With the demand for a well-trained healthcare workforce continuing to increase, the Roswell Scholars program is an opportunity for our students to go beyond the clinical experience and understand firsthand the variety of career opportunities available for them at one of the top cancer centers in the country, right in our own backyard,” said Trocaire College President Bassam M. Deeb, Ph.D. “Our partnership with Roswell Park seeks to create a career pipeline, exposing students to different aspects of healthcare throughout their college years and preparing Roswell Park’s potential future workforce in the process.”

The Roswell Scholars program is the first of its kind program for both Trocaire and Roswell Park. Over the past year, Trocaire and Roswell Park have been working toward this partnership, by first offering professional development training for Roswell Park staff through Trocaire’s workforce development programs. Clinical affiliations were also signed, and Trocaire students are currently participating in clinical experiences at Roswell Park.

Interested Trocaire students will be applying for the Roswell Scholar program later this summer.