Irene Chapa, Ph.D., director of the Health Science Center’s Office of Recruitment and Science Outreach, is one of the co-directors of the Voelcker Academy.
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Long before they graduate from high school, San Antonio teenagers will have the opportunity to participate in world-class biomedical research with top scientists from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, thanks to a $750,000 gift from the Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Fund.

Twenty rising sophomores will become the inaugural class of the Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy.

Three-year program focusing on biomedical research
The students will begin the three-year program this summer with seven weeks of workshops, field trips and hands-on research. In the following two summers, they will conduct research in biomedical laboratories at the UT Health Science Center, with mentoring from distinguished faculty.

More Voelcker Scholars will be chosen from a diverse group of San Antonio school districts in years to come. By 2012, up to 60 high school students will be participating in the program.

Developing the next generation of scientists
The purpose of the Voelcker Academy is to prepare the students for college while developing the next generation of biomedical scientists for San Antonio.

“Voelcker Scholars will have the potential to lead discoveries and advance cures in heart disease, arthritis, muscular dystrophy, cancer and more,” said Brian A. Herman, Ph.D., vice president of research at the Health Science Center and principal investigator for the Voelcker Academy. “The academy offers a unique opportunity to prepare our high school students as future biomedical researchers.”

At the end of each summer, Voelcker Scholars will present their work at a science symposium. They also will be invited to activities during the school year. At the end of each successfully completed summer, a student will receive a financial award and an invitation to return the next year.

Competitive application process
Because the Voelcker Academy requires considerable effort, participants will be chosen through a competitive admissions process. Voelcker Scholars will have to meet grade requirements, provide teacher recommendations and write an essay.

Applications for the first class of Voelcker Scholars must be received by 4 p.m. on Friday, May 1, and can be found at http://www.uthscsa.edu/outreach/summer.asp or http://gradschool.toolbox.net/students/summer.

Students and teachers with questions can contact the program’s co-directors:

• Irene Chapa, Ph.D., director of the Health Science Center’s Office of Recruitment and Science Outreach, can be reached at chapai@uthscsa.edu
  
• Sophia Piña, Ph.D., assistant dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, can be reached at pina@uthscsa.edu.

Sophia Piña, Ph.D., assistant dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, also will co-direct the Voelcker Academy.

Voelckers passionate about medical research
Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker, who died in 1980 and 2000 respectively, ran a successful dairy farm in San Antonio for many years. The Voelckers loved children and San Antonio and were deeply interested in medical research. The Voelcker Academy combines those passions.

Established in 2006, the Voelcker Fund and its trustees have invested nearly $4 million in biomedical research at the Health Science Center.

Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., chancellor of The University of Texas System, began discussions with Voelcker Fund trustees in his previous role as Health Science Center president.

“We are grateful to the trustees of the Voelcker Fund for their leadership in establishing the Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy for San Antonio high school students, in collaboration with the UT Health Science Center San Antonio,” Dr. Cigarroa said. “We believe it could be a model to support education for the next generation of biomedical scientists.”