BENEFACTOR REPORT

Class of 1962 Endowed Scholarship Fund

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George Q. Daley, MD, PhD
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Caroline Shields Walker Professor of Medicine

June 2026
George Q. Daley, MD, PhD

Dear Dr. Meyer,

Sincerely,

Our financial aid program reflects our core belief that cost should never be a barrier to attending Harvard Medical School. Because of you, we can welcome outstanding students regardless of their financial means and enable them to begin their training with purpose and focus. 

Thank you for your generous commitment to financial aid at Harvard Medical School and for your support through the

Class of 1962 Endowed Scholarship Fund. I’m pleased to share this report on how your philanthropy is making a difference in our students’ lives and in the future of medicine.  

Harvard Medical School is proud to offer one of the most generous financial aid programs in the country. In fiscal year 2025, we awarded $31.2 million in MD financial aid, placing HMS sixth nationally in total MD scholarship funding awarded. Seventy-one percent of our MD students receive aid, with an average annual scholarship of $61,758, and half of our scholarship recipients qualify for our Middle Income Initiative, which adjusts the parental contribution expected from HMS families with the greatest financial need. Your support is essential to maintaining this level of aid and directing resources to those with the greatest need.  

Even in a current challenging financial environment, with uncertain federal support, we remain steadfast in our commitment to financial aid. With your partnership, we can continue to prioritize access and opportunity for outstanding students.

Financial aid does more than ease financial pressure—it enables our students to fully engage in their education, research, and clinical experiences, and to pursue careers guided by impact and service rather than by financial constraints. Thank you for helping to educate and inspire the next generation of physicians and physician-scientists.

Nicolas Cruz

Class of 1962 Endowed Scholarship Fund

Pathways, Class of 2026

Path to Medicine

As the child of an immigrant construction worker, Nicolas grew up in a family where college—and especially medical school—felt far removed from daily reality. He decided to pursue anesthesiology early in medical school and now thinks about that career in the context of rural–urban health gaps. He and his wife plan to serve rural communities after his training, where provider shortages and access barriers remain especially stark.

Training & Development

Nicolas roots his training in community-focused groups. Through FARM (the rural health club), the Latino Medical Student Association, and the Native American and Indigenous Health Organization, he explores how geography, culture, and history shape care. These experiences inform his vision of anesthesiology that is responsive to rural needs. Outside of medicine, he writes horror screenplays as a creative way to examine fear and society.

Access & Opportunity

Financial aid makes Harvard Medical School possible for Nicolas, whose family cannot cover tuition with a construction salary. Scholarships replace constant money stress with stability, so he can focus on learning, caring for patients, and supporting his son. He feels a deep responsibility to honor donors’ investment by becoming a skilled anesthesiologist for underserved rural communities.

BA, The John Hopkins University (2021)

Your support of financial aid ensures that the world’s most promising students can attend Harvard Medical School, regardless of their financial means. In turn, these students, representing a wide range ofbackgrounds and perspectives go on to become innovators and leaders in the field of medicine. HMS is proud to have one of the most generous financial aid programs in the country.

 Thank you

We could not do this without you.

Class of 2029

HST

165

Students

PATHWAYS

135

30

15 students are pursuing both an MD and a PhD (MD-PhD)

14%

From groups historically underrepresented in medicine

62

Colleges

31

U.S. States

09

Countries

The Impact of Financial Aid

Average annual scholarship

$61,758

Qualify for the HMS Middle Income Initiative, which adjusts the parental contribution expected for HMS families with the greatest financial need.

50%

Come from a family whose annual income is $50,000 or less

1 in 5

Receive financial aid

71%

Student Beneficiary

The Impact

Office of Alumni Affairs and Development


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