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Duke Endowment makes major gift to MUSC A Duke Endowment grant in the amount of  $707,367 was presented to MUSC, enabling the school to launch four new programs to help serve low-income and otherwise medically under-served populations throughout South Carolina.  The endowment further expressed its intent to provide these programs with an additional $1,175,398 in funding during the next two years, for a total of $1.88 million by the year 2004. The gift was announced by university President Ray Greenberg, who said it was especially significant in that it would support outreach programs in the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Health Professions and the College of Dental Medicine.   The Duke Endowment’s gift will support four programs. One will promote maternity and newborn care in rural communities; another will create hypertension specialists in communities throughout the state; a third aims to improve dental health among low-income and minority children; and the fourth will enable health care professionals in remote locations to participate in continuing-education programs. Greenberg said that The Duke Endowment has long supported programs at the Medical University.  However, this most recent gift represented its largest investment to date. “Of all the challenges facing the American health care system, eliminating health care disparities is one of the more serious and pervasive.  It is of particular concern here in South Carolina, where there are such great differences in health status,” said Greenberg.  “Through this gift, the Duke Endowment has provided us with the means to do something about these disparities, and make health care services more accessible to those whom might otherwise slip through the cracks,” he said. “Just as important, they have sent a powerful message that no problem is unsolvable when people and organizations work in partnership. For that, we are immensely grateful.” Established in 1924 by N.C. industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is one of the nation’s largest private foundations. Its mission is to serve the people of North Carolina and South Carolina by supporting selected program of higher education, health care, children’s welfare, and spiritual life.   Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.