Grants and Writing Resources for Samuel Merritt University
A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine student in Samuel Merritt's class of 2027 received the 2026 Bako Medical Education Foundation Endowed Scholarship, the university reported in September 2026. SMU has received endowment funding from the foundation, a nonprofit that supported medical education in podiatric dermatology. The student is now on externship rotations in the Bay Area and has presented twice at the annual Stand Alone Meeting of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, including a spring 2026 team presentation of research on platelet-rich plasma in Achilles tendinopathies.
Scholarships by College
SMU's scholarship list is sorted by college. In podiatric medicine, two Alameda Contra Costa scholarships go to third- and fourth-year DPM students and weigh financial need, extracurricular involvement and academic performance. The CAFFE Benjamin Mullens DPM Scholarship is for entering first-year students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher, and financial need plays no part. The Bako scholarship is listed for DPM students as well. In the College of Health Sciences, the R. Shapiro Family Foundation Physical Therapy Scholarship is awarded each year on academic promise and financial need, with first-year students given priority. Occupational therapy students can be considered for an Occupational Therapy Scholarship based on academic excellence and financial aid.
The doctoral program pages for nursing practice and occupational therapy name further scholarships, among them the Sharon Clark Diaz, William Breslin and Marshall Steele, Jr. awards. The nursing practice page says most are awarded on financial need and a limited number for academic merit. The College of Nursing section of the scholarship page also lists one $5,000 research grant given by Sigma Theta Tau International and the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, for nurses who belong to both organizations and hold at least a master's degree.
Doctoral Projects and Lab Research
Each Doctor of Nursing Practice student completes a scholarly project that runs from problem identification and a synthesis of the literature to implementation and an evaluation of outcomes. The last residency course, NURSG 732, ends with an on-campus project presentation, and the program page posts recorded presentations by DNP scholars. Students in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program spend one 15-week semester on a doctoral capstone and must submit a Capstone Report to graduate.
Lab work happens at the Motion Analysis Research Center, where students in physical therapy, occupational therapy, podiatric medicine, physician assistant studies and nursing work with faculty on research. Recent projects include a study of how maximalist footwear affects walking and running and a 3D motion analysis of elite aerial circus performers. The lab also works with UC Berkeley on ACL injury prevention.
Tutors and Librarians
Writing Support offers free one-on-one sessions with a peer tutor to talk through a writing assignment, plus self-paced material on the writing process. The Academic Support office adds free subject tutoring for undergraduate and graduate students and academic coaching by appointment. Through Brainfuse, students can reach online tutors in nursing and allied health subjects at any hour.
SMU Libraries run locations at the Oakland, Fresno, Sacramento and San Francisco Peninsula campuses. The library supplies EndNote and citation resources for APA, AMA and ICMJE styles, and students can make an appointment with SMU Libraries for help with research and citation.
Before a DNP project, capstone report or scholarship essay goes in, our editors can check grammar, consistency and format. See our Samuel Merritt University dissertation and thesis editing and Samuel Merritt University essay editing pages, or write to editors@editorsforstudents.com.
From Our Writing Guides
Compiled by James Peterson Brown, PhD, Managing Editor of Editors For Students. Links checked October 2026.
Editors For Students is an independent editorial service and is not affiliated with Samuel Merritt University, and your faculty may endorse our services individually. We look forward to helping you bring your SMU writing to its strongest, submission-ready form.