Varian Medical Systems Expands Support of ASRT Scholarship Program | Varian

{ "pageType": "news-article", "title": "Varian Medical Systems Expands Support of ASRT Scholarship Program", "articleDate": "2003/10/16", "introText": "", "category": "Corporate and Financial Releases" }

Varian Medical Systems Expands Support of ASRT Scholarship Program

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the nation will need 7,000more radiation therapists by 2010 than it had in 2000.  Thanks to Varian
Medical Systems Inc. and the ASRT Education and Research Foundation, 83 of
them will be able to attend school with the help of a $5,000 scholarship.

ASRT today announced that Varian Medical Systems will expand the Varian
Radiation Therapy Student Scholarship Program, administered by ASRT's
Education and Research Foundation.  Varian will fund 83 scholarships for
students entering educational programs in radiation therapy and provide
additional monetary support to the Foundation over the next five years, for a
total contribution of $440,000.  This represents a more than 40-fold
increase in funding for this program, which in the past sponsored two
scholarships each year.

"With this program, we’re creating an opportunity for many more people to
enter an important profession that makes a major difference in the lives of
thousands of cancer patients," said Richard M. Levy, chairman and CEO of
Varian Medical Systems.  "ASRT is an excellent organization and, with
their help, we can extend assistance to a broad range of radiation therapy
students in 85 accredited programs across the nation."

Varian will fund 11 scholarships of $5,000 each in the 2004-2005 academic
year, 15 scholarships of $5,000 each in the 2005-2006 academic year, and 19
scholarships of $5,000 each in the 2006-2007 through 2008-2009 academic years.

"The ASRT Foundation is thrilled with the support Varian Medical Systems has
shown to the radiation therapy community through expansion of this scholarship
program," said Maureen Simmons-Mills, Foundation development director. 
"Varian is taking a positive, proactive approach to addressing the shortage of
radiation therapists."

Varian Medical Systems has a long history of support for the ASRT Education
and Research Foundation.  From 1984 to 2000, Varian sponsored the Varian
Award for Achievement in Radiation Therapy, awarded annually to a leading
radiation therapy professional in honor of Eileen McCullough, B.H.S.,
R.T.®(T), FASRT, a pioneering radiation therapy educator.  The award
was converted to a scholarship program in 2001.

Varian Medical Systems is a world leader in the design and manufacture of
integrated systems of equipment and software for treating cancer with
radiation therapy.  The company produces linear accelerators and
treatment simulation and verification products, as well as information
management and treatment planning software.

The ASRT Education and Research Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the
American Society of Radiologic Technologists.  The Foundation awards
thousands of dollars worth of scholarships and grants annually to further the
development of the radiologic sciences.

Applications for the Varian Radiation Therapy Scholarship are available on the
Foundation section of the ASRT Web site at www.asrt.org.