Janssen Therapeutics Announces Recipient of Its Second Point Scholarship for LGBT Students

TITUSVILLE, N.J., July 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP (Janssen) announced today the recipient of the second scholarship the company is supporting through the Point Foundation, the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit. Janssen is the first pharmaceutical company to fund a Point Scholarship.  

The Point Scholarship supported by Janssen is for LGBT students whose field of study is focused on HIV/AIDS, or who have chosen to attend business school. It has been awarded to Michael Haymer of Orange County, California. Michael is pursuing a joint MD-MBA degree from the PRIME Program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The Point Scholarship is granted for a four-year period to graduating high school seniors and college students. As a Point Scholar, Michael will receive financial assistance and will be matched with a successful professional who can serve as his mentor and role model.

Michael and his four siblings were raised by their single mother who died from complications of undertreated diabetes during his first year of medical school. As a tribute to her, Michael focused his studies on serving under-resourced and vulnerable populations. 

"I'm personally committed to my research and work as a community educator in the areas of LGBT and HIV health because I know firsthand how important it is to give a voice to underserved populations," said Michael. "With this scholarship, I look forward to setting an example for other LGBT students interested in healthcare and continuing the tradition of Point Scholars."

Michael has a particular interest in the area of transgender healthcare. He directed the LGBT Health Student Symposium, which hosted more than 100 students from across the country. In recognition of his efforts, Michael received the UCLA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award.  

Michael also has experience in HIV research; he served as a community educator for an international HIV vaccine trial and conducted research on the use of mobile technology to improve community outreach methods for HIV/AIDS prevention.

In 2012, Janssen provided a Point Scholarship to medical student Siddarth (Sid) Puri to support his studies at University of California Davis School of Medicine. Sid was named co-director, class of 2014, of the student-run Joan Viteri Memorial Clinic dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of uninsured drug users. The Point Scholarship helps Sid advance his efforts to provide culturally sensitive medical care to the LGBT community and people living with HIV/AIDS.

"Since the start of the HIV epidemic, the LGBT community has played a leadership role in mobilizing the response. While great progress has been made, more than 30 years later HIV infection rates are rising among men who have sex with men and communities of color," said Ron Falcon, MD, Director of Marketing, HIV, Janssen. "Through the Point Foundation scholarship, Janssen is investing to help develop the next generation of leaders from the LGBT community to continue the fight against HIV."

About Janssen Therapeutics
At Janssen, we are dedicated to addressing and solving some of the most important unmet medical needs of our time in HIV and other infectious diseases. Driven by our commitment to patients, we develop innovative products, services and healthcare solutions to help people throughout the world. Headquartered in Titusville, New Jersey, Janssen Therapeutics, Division of Janssen Products, LP, is one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies. Visit http://www.janssentherapeutics.com for more information and follow us on Twitter at @JanssenUS.

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SOURCE Janssen Therapeutics