Scholarships Provide Top Training

Scholarships provide a legacy of compassionate and highly skilled allied health professionals who will provide much-needed care to future generations. Day Foundation scholarships support unrivaled learning opportunities, allowing the brightest students to expand their learning experiences.

Established by Clarence Day in 1960, the Day Foundation has supported scholarships at Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences since 2001. The foundation is recognized as a Mayo Clinic Principal Benefactor.

“Clarence was a huge fan of Mayo Clinic,” says trustee William Griesbeck. “He was grateful for the tremendous medical care the physicians and other health care professionals and staff provided to him for many years. He was particularly impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the medical technicians he encountered during his many visits to Mayo.

“These lasting impressions inspired him to establish this scholarship program. He realized that many of these individuals were employed in other fields and making sacrifices to pursue second careers. Through the foundation, he wanted to help others reach their potential.”

That was the case for Wendy Liu. The daughter of a physician and sibling to a nurse and neurosurgeon in China, she became an obstetrician and gynecologist. She practiced in China for over seven years before moving to the U.S. Because of difficulties obtaining U.S. licensure, Wendy started over by going to school to become a nursing assistant. She then enrolled in the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences' Phlebotomy Technician Program and was recruited to Mayo Clinic after graduation. Because of her OB-GYN background, Wendy was already familiar with female pelvic imaging, and she enrolled in the sonography program in 2017 to continue her training.

“The scholarship helped me bridge the gap when we could barely cut it,” she says. “It afforded me a little time to myself so I could also grow personally.” ■

Philanthropy is vital to helping Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science transform heath care for both patients and society through excellence in education, discovery, innovation, teamwork and leadership.


Stories of Hope
Stories of Hope
Stories of Hope