Matt Smith Physical Therapy, a Las Vegas-based physical therapy practice with 14 locations, has partnered with the Latin Chamber of Commerce to award four students with the 2014 Changing Lives Scholarship. The Changing Lives Scholarship provides money for college and ongoing mentoring from healthcare professionals, according to a news report from Nevada Business. Matt Smith Physical Therapy was the first business to volunteer to mentor the Latin Chamber’s scholarship recipients throughout their college careers in addition to donating money.

The Nevada Business news report notes that this fall will mark the third time Matt Smith Physical Therapy has participated in the Latin Chamber of Commerce’s scholarship program. A total of 10 students in the Las Vegas valley have received the scholarships, and each of the annual recipients receives $1,500 from Matt Smith Physical Therapy and a $1,000 match from the Latin Chamber of Commerce.

To be eligible for the scholarship award, students must have a 3.5 GPA, qualify as low income, and have a desire to pursue a health sciences field at an in-state school. Second-year college students need a 3.2 GPA in order to qualify. In addition to the in-clinic mentoring program held at Matt Smith, the group of Las Vegas professionals plans to meet monthly with scholarship beneficiaries to help ensure the students have what they need to succeed.

The Nevada Business news report indicates that new this year is a cohort program, which was designed by the Latin Chamber with participation from Matt Smith Physical Therapy. The cohort program allows students to achieve success by pairing them with executives from educational institutions and companies.

The 2014 Changing Lives Scholarship recipients are: Guadalupe Tovar and Yajaira Dominguez, from Rancho High School, and Jazelle Erives and Juan Guzman Morales, from Nevada State College, as indicated on the Nevada Business news report.

Clinic founder Matt Smith says, “It’s no mystery that education is short funded from a national, state and local level. While we cannot change the course of an entire industry we can change the lives of a few individuals.”

Source: Nevada Business