Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | September 13, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 27 D I V E R S I T Y & I N C L U S I O N F O C U S Special Sponsored Section T his month UMass Medical School announced a transformational $175 million philanthropic gift from The Morningside Foundation, based in Newton. In recognition of the history-making donation and deep commitment to education, research and healthcare by the Chan fam- ily of investors, entrepreneurs and philanthropists, UMass Medical School will be renamed the UMass Chan Medical School and its three schools will also be renamed: the T.H. Chan School of Medicine; the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing; and the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. How will the record-setting donation advance diversity initiatives? The unrestricted endowment gift will benefit each of our three schools. Our new names and bold public pro- file will attract international attention; the gift will allow us to prioritize four key strategic goals: recruiting and retaining more renowned, diverse faculty; facilitating breakthrough research; offering financial support to highly qualified and diverse students; and being ever more expansive and impactful in fulfilling our public service mission. What steps are making the biggest difference on the Medical School's campus? For years our academic community has routinely gathered for diversity sum- mits, campus conversations, multicultural events and lectures. Moreover, diversi- ty considerations underpin every priority in our strategic plan. Recently we have, along with the state's medical schools and the Massachusetts Medical Society, joined together to advocate for and foster a culture across medicine in Massachusetts that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and actively antiracist. On our campus, we are amplifying voices of groups that are often marginalized, for example: bringing together groups of faculty who know the struggles of under- representation in their fields; students are passionate about and coalescing around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) that they experience as caregivers, learners and scientists; and department DEI liaisons and groups of diverse staff meet regularly. Each of these conversations serves as a sounding board, ensuring that our people's voices are heard and that leaders understand their needs and have an opportunity to be both responsive and accountable. How is the UMass Chan Medical School expanding access to the health sciences? Our 1,300 students are more diverse than ever. Our graduates must reflect the patients for whom it is their privilege to care and the diverse communities they serve. Moreover, the shortage of primary care physicians, specialists and nurses compels us to increase the number of students we educate in the coming years. Describe the culture at UMass Chan Medical School. We take great pride in our collaborative, open-door and interprofessional cul- ture. It doesn't just happen that way – a special alchemy allows faculty, students and staff to perform at their very best when they feel valued and integral to our overall success. Michael F. Collins, MD, Chancellor, UMass Chan Medical School UMASS CHAN MEDICAL SCHOOL: Transformational Gift Propels UMass Chan Medical School to Among Nation's Elite W Michael F. Collins, MD, Chancellor of the newly named UMass Chan Medical School, overlooking its Worcester campus L E A R N M O R E A T UMASSMED.EDU/UMASSCHAN RECEIVING A $175 MILLION GIFT WILL DO THAT. With The Morningside Foundation's transformative commitment, we are deeply grateful and more determined than ever to fulfill our public service mission. This donation enables us to recruit renowned faculty, conduct breakthrough research, and offer financial support to highly qualified and diverse students. To honor The Morningside Foundation, we are proudly renaming UMass Medical School and its three graduate schools.

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