Alvin M. Powers is no stranger to hard work. A visionary leader in the healthcare industry, he built a legacy that extended far beyond business success. Powers dedicated his life to improving the lives of others, and with that, came an unwavering belief in the transformative power of education. Upon his passing in November 2023 at age 89, his family and friends established the Alvin M. Powers Maryland Promise Scholarship to continue his mission: to open doors for future public health practitioners and advocates for generations to come.
As a youth, Powers understood that education created options. A first-generation college student, Alvin went on to a successful career as CEO of Bon Secours Hospital in Baltimore (now LifeBridge Health) and co-founder of FutureCare Health and Management. Powers maintained his connection to education as an adjunct professor in the University of Maryland's Department of Health Services Administration (now the School of Public Health’s Department of Health Policy and Management). He also served as an integral advisor in establishing the UMD School of Public Health (SPH) in 2007.
Powers' life in service to others was shared with his children as well. The younger of his two sons, Mark Powers '89, followed in his father's footsteps in serving three terms on the SPH Dean's Council, the school's external advisory board. When Alvin passed, it was clear to Mark, the Powers family and their friends that one of the greatest tributes to Alvin’s legacy would be an investment in education that would last in perpetuity.
Together, The Powers Family Foundation and FutureCare Health and Management established the new Alvin M. Powers Maryland Promise Scholarship, an endowment that will support SPH students. The Maryland Promise Program is a signature program of the University, providing need-based scholarships for undergraduates from underserved populations from Maryland and Washington, D.C. The Powers endowment is matched by the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation and the University of Maryland.
It's what my dad would have wanted!
The scholarship, a testament to his values, serves as a bridge for students who, like him, dare to dream big but face financial barriers.
"SPH undergraduate students come to our school from all backgrounds, walks of life, and financial needs. We consider it a privilege to prepare them for careers in service to the public's health. Our responsibility extends beyond the lessons taught in the classroom to care for all of the student's needs, and the Powers family understands that. Their Maryland Promise Scholarship will cover tuition as well as individual academic advising and career services to ensure our students' success."
Over a quarter of the undergraduate student body of SPH are first-generation college students. This Maryland Promise Scholarship, the sixth to specifically support SPH students, will enhance the school's culture of providing resources and support services for its remarkably diverse population.