Chuck Lorre Family Foundation Donates $10 Million to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to Support Research Education for Underrepresented Students

Chuck Lorre is committing millions to help educate the next generation of scientists and medical professionals.

Through his Chuck Lorre Family Foundation, the super producer has pledged a total of $10 million to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to support research education for high school and college students from low-income communities throughout greater Los Angeles. The gift creates sustained support for a continuum of science training and mentoring that begins when students are in high school and now extends through college and could ultimately create a more diverse group of scientists, doctors, nurses and health professionals.

CHLA has launched the Chuck Lorre Research Scholars Program (CLRSP), welcoming its inaugural class in summer 2023, including alumni students from the Samuels Family Latino and African American High School Internship Program (LA-HIP) at CHLA. Scholars participate in 10 weeks of paid summer laboratory research after their first or second year of college, either at their current university, CHLA, or at a research institution of their choice. During that time, they receive mentoring and career guidance from CHLA’s program director. After their first summer, scholars can apply for continued financial support and research mentoring throughout the next year of college.

“When students are fully immersed in research, they can suddenly imagine a future in STEM where they can pursue their dreams. That’s what inspired me to establish this program,” Lorre offered. CLRSP expands Lorre’s commitment to STEM education and supports students who identify as an underrepresented minority in their quest to become scientists or clinical researchers. In addition, his foundation has supported CHLA since 2016.

“We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to ensure more low-income students have a head start in fulfilling their dreams,” Lorre continued. “These programs have enormous potential to shape the future of science and healthcare by creating a more diverse workforce.”

The new gift increases support for students studying laboratory research through LA-HIP, a high school-level internship program at CHLA started by Dr. Emil Bogenmann in 2005, which aims to increase educational opportunities for third and fourth year students from the inner city. schools around Los Angeles. “In college, students may face several challenges (lack of financial support, guidance, and opportunities to conduct research in a laboratory), leading them to abandon the scientific process,” said Bogenmann, director of the CLRSP. “We’re focusing on closing that gap, keeping them engaged and setting them up for success if they decide to pursue graduate school or medical school.”