Atlanta, April 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The challenge was daunting, the goal audacious: Raise $1.5 million for Morehouse School of Medicine’s 11th Annual Hugh Gloster Society Dinner and Celebration to support student scholarships and the institution’s mission of improving diversity and equity in healthcare. By the end of the night, with the help of partners including the Chick-fil-A Foundation, Georgia Power and The Home Depot, the school raised $2.13 million.
“I’m pleased and honored to announce that the Chick-fil-A Foundation is giving $750,000 to MSM, to support scholarships for students who are committed to living in this new property on the Westside,” said Rodney Bullard, executive director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation, referring to MSM’s $60-million, three-acre mixed-use campus expansion underway on Lee Street.
Bullard, who also serves as Chick-fil-A’s vice president of corporate social responsibility, co-chaired the sold-out event held April 18, which drew more than 340 prominent business and community leaders. WSB-TV Channel 2 news anchor Fred Blankenship served as master of ceremonies.
“With Chief Executive Officer Dan Cathy’s unwavering commitment to the Westside, and to making a better future for all of us, we are excited to support this project and to continue our partnership with MSM in the days to come,” Bullard said.
“The Westside area’s deep historical significance as an incubator for the civil rights movement and home to the nation’s most prestigious historically black colleges and universities is invaluable for the city of Atlanta,” Bullard added later. “The Foundation is proud to work with local community members, civic and non-profit organizations and corporations to restore this historic community.”
That gift, the largest among many announced during the evening, allowed MSM to surpass the previous year’s record of $1.3 million raised.
Earlier in the evening, guests enjoyed a unique, behind-the-scenes showcase of MSM’s education, research and patient-care initiatives called the MSM Experience. Activities included student research presentations, interactive medical simulation demonstrations, clinical insights and a look at the school’s Pipeline Programs, which expose students from elementary through post-undergraduate levels to the world of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
Georgia Power received this year’s Louis C. Brown Vanguard Award, honoring individuals and organizations with a pioneering spirit and demonstrated leadership that is reducing health disparities. Chairman, President and CEO Paul Bowers accepted on behalf of Georgia Power. Over the years, the company has contributed close to $1.5 million to Morehouse School of Medicine for scholarships and to support MSM’s Pipeline Programs.
MSM President and Dean Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., reflected on the school’s many changes.
“Five years ago, we declared that if we were going to be true to our mission and work toward the elimination of health disparities, then we must begin to focus our efforts on the advancement of health equity,” Dr. Montgomery Rice said. “As you’ve seen here and hopefully witnessed in your various experiences, we are doing what we said we would do.”
Ted Decker, executive vice president of merchandising for The Home Depot, served as event co-chair for the third consecutive year. Under his leadership, MSM has raised $4.3 million in support of student scholarship at this signature event.
“This is an event that elevates Morehouse School of Medicine’s impact in the community and provides scholarships for our students as well as support for research and community engagement programs,” said MSM Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement Bennie Harris, Ph.D.
Named in honor of one of MSM's esteemed founders and late president of Morehouse College Dr. Hugh Gloster, the society’s donations have been used to improve overall health and well-being, diversify the health and scientific workforce, and improve primary health care, with an emphasis on people of color and the underserved urban and rural populations of Georgia, the nation and the world.
About Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM)
Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), located in Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in 1975 as a two-year Medical Education Program at Morehouse College with clinical training affiliations with several established medical schools for awarding the M.D. degree. In 1981, MSM became an independently chartered institution and the first medical school established at a Historically Black College and University in the 20th century. MSM is among the nation's leading educators of primary care physicians and was recently recognized as the top institution among U.S. medical schools for our social mission. Our faculty and alumni are noted in their fields for excellence in teaching, research, and public policy, and are known in the community for exceptional, culturally appropriate patient care.
Morehouse School of Medicine is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctorate and master’s degrees.
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