14 countries. 150 international students. The common thread: a desire to take the medical skills they have learned in Boston University’s School of Public Health Master of Public Health (MPH) program and put them to work helping people in their respective countries.

As an active member of the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) Dean’s Advisory Board, Donato Tramuto recognized the importance of international students to this program. According to BUSPH Dean Robert Meenan, these students “…bring personal insight into the public health issues of developing countries … when they finish, they take their new skills back to countries, where they can have tremendous impact.”

The grant not only plays a critical role in helping international students complete their degrees—it was also intentionally designed for students in their final semester who have excelled in their studies. This is the value of the Tramuto Foundation’s collaborative approach — rather than simply direct financial resources to any given cause, we create partnerships that encourage an exchange of ideas. The result in this case was a deeper understanding of how to best structure a grant that would leverage the ability of these select students to make a difference in their home countries. This collaborative approach — the integration of thinking from a variety of experts towards achieving specific goals is what the Tramuto Foundation is all about.

There is a strong synergy between Boston University’s highly-regarded School of Public Health and what I do on a professional and personal level. Bringing the best medical minds together with the most up-to-date medical information and technology is changing the way high quality healthcare is delivered around the globe.

Donato J. Tramuto