The Warren Alpert Foundation Alliance to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling (AID-GC) is a partnership between five accredited genetic counseling training programs, with an overall goal of increasing the number of genetic counselors from underrepresented backgrounds. The consortia members include the University of Maryland School of Medicine; the University of Pennsylvania; Boston University; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; and Sarah Lawrence College.

With a five-year, $9.5 million dollar grant from the Warren Alpert Foundation, the AID-GC program will recruit and train a total of 40 genetic counseling students, providing full tuition scholarships and stipends to cover living expenses.  Each of the five consortia programs will recruit two underrepresented in genetic counseling (URiGC) students per year to be AID-GC Scholarship recipients.

AID-GC Scholarship recipients will participate in all their programs’ regular coursework, fieldwork, research, and activities. The educational experience will be enhanced by monthly meetings of all AID-GC scholars, some virtual and some in-person. Monthly meetings will allow each cohort of ten students among the five programs to participate in workshops and develop a community of peers. This support is essential as graduates will enter a profession with few role models. Each student will also have the support of a faculty mentor and a mentor who is a practicing genetic counselor.