CalOptima, which offers public health insurance in Orange County, will invest $5 million in stipends over the next five years for California State University–Fullerton students pursuing a master’s degree in the school’s social worker program, according to a May 16 press release issued by the agency.
Qualifying students, starting next fall, will receive $20,000 a year in exchange for committing to two years of full-time work in public health settings or CalOptima contracted agencies post-graduation.
“The generous stipend will serve as a major incentive for students to pursue an advanced degree in social work, a field that is experiencing a critical shortage of trained professionals,” said Framroze Virjee, president of the college, in the same press release. “We are grateful for the funding.”…