In addition to addressing women’s health at its basic level –research—Dr. Howell’s vision was to get students excited about pursuing a career in women’s health.

There are numerous studies that indicate that students who do research as undergrads gain both professional and personal skills such as problem solving, communication and teamwork. Research experience also helps students clarify their career goals and prepares them for success in their graduate school environments.  Many of our Scholars wouldn’t be able to participate in research unless we provide them with financial support, thus by offering scholarship grants to deserving students, we are helping to foster the interest of students in research careers and improve their ability to succeed in any career.

We know research requires a constant infusion of talent to serve the community and society at large. For this reason, the primary goal of the Howell Foundation is to influence students to pursue careers impacting women’s health and to develop financial support, through our scholarships and grants, that will accelerate solutions to women’s health issues.

A strict protocol is followed in the choice of the students, including review of the students’ scholarship applications, and quality of supervision during their research work by a mentor scientist, who specifically guides the student.  The objective is to propel the student’s knowledge and skills in ways that couldn’t be done in a classroom setting. It is the lifeline to the program’s success. 

The research subjects range from the most basic of life sciences such as cell biology to creating vaccines and testing altered immune reactions. Often the results of the student’s research are presented at professional conferences or published in peer-reviewed journals.  It is inspirational to see their passion and their growth. After all, they are the embodiment of the promise of “Keeping the Women We Love Healthy.”