Chuck Lorre — a TV producer and writer known for creating The Big Bang Theory — has donated $30 million to fund Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's new allied health school in Los Angeles.
"The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation and Cedars-Sinai are building pay equity into the school's blueprint," the entities said in a March 20 news release. "The goal is to address pay disparities that most often impact job seekers from underrepresented communities by providing an avenue to increase income through skills development."
The Chuck Lorre School of Allied Health will upskill underserved individuals in six chronically understaffed healthcare areas: respiratory therapy, pharmacy tech, clinical laboratory science, MRI technology, radiologic technology and echo/cardio technology.
Both remote and in-person classes will be offered, and programs span between six and 24 months. Tuition support is available, and the hospital will work to resolve class conflicts with current employees who enroll. Students will receive pay while training.
Within three years, the school is set to open for a flagship class of 50. Within seven years, it aims to double enrollment.
The Chuck Lorre Foundation has partnered with Cedars-Sinai in the past. Since 2014, its donations have powered the Youth Employment and Development program, which places disadvantaged teenagers in part-time, paid hospital jobs, as well as shadowing and mentorship opportunities.