A Letter from Amgen Scholars Leadership

Nov 25, 2015 7:00 AM ET

Since its inception in 2006, more than 2,500 talented undergraduates have participated in the Amgen Scholars Program by undertaking hands-on summer research projects in science and engineering laboratories at 13 host institutions in the United States and Europe. And a growing cadre of Program alumni are going on to graduate school and scientific careers across the globe.

As we see former Amgen Scholars—including scientific scholar Jonathan Stoltzfus—begin to realize their dreams of pursuing and completing their PhDs by taking the next step in their careers, we can’t help but feel proud. Stoltzfus’s experiences with the Program—and the impact he says it had on his career—suggest that we have succeeded in making a meaningful difference in participants’ professional pursuits.

The Program welcomed another batch of bright and talented undergraduates in 2014, giving them not only access to enterprising new research projects but, as in previous years, also certain intangibles that scientists need to succeed—such as opportunities to learn about careers and build long-lasting friendships with other budding researchers.

In late 2014, the Amgen Foundation announced the continuation—and expansion—of the Amgen Scholars Program through 2018, thanks to a generous commitment of $18 million. Joining the Program’s distinguished group of host institutions are the National Institutes of Health, Harvard University, ETH Zurich in Switzerland, Institut Pasteur in Paris, and, for the first time, Japanese institutions: Kyoto University and the University of Tokyo.

The past eight years have given us a new and inspired perspective on the Program as well as cause for even greater excitement because of the Program’s expansion. Welcome to the 2014 Amgen Scholars Program Annual Report, a timeline that highlights the scope of the Program’s impact.

Michael Bergren
Director
Amgen Scholars Global/US Program Office
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Karl Wilson
Administrative Director
Amgen Scholars European Coordinating Centre
University of Cambridge

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To learn more about the Amgen Scholars Program, please visit our website and check out the #AmgenScholars hashtag on Twitter. Visit AmgenInspires.com and follow @AmgenFoundation to stay up to date with all STEM-related news from the Amgen Foundation.