Dean, student presented with
diversity award
by Cindy
AbolePublic Relations
Championing a cause for promoting the inclusion of under-represented students and colleagues is imperative to College of Medicine Dean Jerry Reves, M.D., and College of Health Professions student leader Aaron Embry.
Reves, vice president for Medical Affairs, became the 12th recipient of the Earl B. Higgins Award that was named for the late former director of the Office of Minority Affairs.
Embry, a third-year physical therapy student, is the second student to be recognized with the Earl B. Higgins Student Leadership in Diversity award. Both awards recognize exemplary strides and contributions made by an employee and student of MUSC who promote institutional diversity on campus.
Honoring Aaron
Embry, left, and Dr. Jerry Reves with their Earl B. Higgins award is
LaValle Higgins, wife of the late Earl B. Higgins.Deborah Deas, M.D., associate dean of admissions in the College of Medicine, nominated Reves for his leadership and tireless efforts in achieving diversity within the college. Since his 2001 appointment as dean, Reves has led and expanded the college’s efforts in achieving diversity in numerous areas, from building student recruitment and retention and sponsoring initiatives that influence the organization, to leading improvements in the understanding of diversity throughout the college, MUSC’s campus and the Tri-county community.
“I welcomed the opportunity that Dr. [Ray] Greenberg [MUSC president] and MUSC’s Board of Trustees placed upon me six years ago to establish a College of Medicine with a diverse student body,” said Reves at the April 4 award presentation held at the Wickliffe House. “Since then, I’ve monitored its progress within the college and worked closely with staff and department leadership to make things happen. I accept this award on behalf of everyone in the College of Medicine who has made diversity a priority and to the society we serve who are the ultimate beneficiaries.”
Reves joins a respected list of former Earl B. Higgins Diversity Award recipients including Joanne Conroy, M.D., Anne Kilpatrick, Ph.D., Sabra Slaughter, Ph.D., Layton McCurdy, M.D., Jerry Blackwell, Ph.D., Tom Waldrep, Florence Simmons, R.N., Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., John Franklin, Michael deArellano, Ph.D., and Cynthia Cupit-Swenson, Ph.D.
Dr. Jerry Reves
with is award. From his first day, Reves advocated for diversity within the college by embracing it within its three-core focus of service to students, society and science. First, he carefully evaluated how diversity was embraced within the college and selected minority leaders and advocates for diversity and cultural competency for top positions within the college.
Within months of becoming dean, Reves appointed Deas, an MUSC alumnus, as the college’s first African-American associate dean of admissions. Deas evaluated problems with the school’s attrition rate, defined as the time of student withdrawal between acceptance to medical school and matriculation. Deas compared how this affected medical students, particularly minority candidates.
To offset this, Reves supported the establishment of a Student Ambassadors Program to support the college’s admissions committee. The program featured faculty and student volunteers committed to assisting in the recruitment process, from leading student tours, attending luncheons, to talking with potential students interested in attending MUSC. Minority candidates were paired with student ambassadors, often of the same gender and ethnicity, to answer specific questions and encourage candidates to make MUSC their medical school of choice.
Following the inception of the Ambassadors Program in 2003, the college’s overall attrition rate decreased from 30 percent to 12 percent among students and from 50 percent to 9 percent among minority medical students.
This year’s medical class includes 14 minority male students, 11 of whom are African-American, which is 7.3 times more than the national average at other medical school programs.
In 2004, he appointed Myra Haney as director of academics and student support within the college. This past year, Haney worked with Deas in developing the Mentoring Ensures Medical Success (MEMS) program, created to pair minority college faculty/staff as mentors with first-year minority medical students. Participants meet for a monthly lunch and discussion to talk about issues and set goals and objectives for succeeding in medical school.
“Medical school can be challenging for most students,” said Deas. “The program provides continued support to minority students within a supportive group setting. It fosters good understanding through shared experiences and collaboration by helping participants connect with the right resources and guiding others toward their goals.”
Another program, Getting Integrated and Fully Transitioned into Medical School (GIFT), was offered as an optional program for students to hone their study and test-taking skills. Its results yielded students with good GPAs and a smooth transition from undergraduate studies to medical school.
Responding to another priority, Reves guided the establishment of the college’s own diversity committee chaired by Deas. The 11-member committee was charged with assessing the state of diversity within the college and creating a collegewide diversity plan. The group worked collaboratively within the college and other university resources to lay the groundwork for creating the college’s broad-based diversity plan that could also be shared among each of the college’s 25 departments.
Next, Reves, Deas and members of the diversity committee worked with department chairs to create and devise their own diversity plans and initiatives that focus on goals such as diversifying faculty and house staff within the workplace to inviting minority faculty and guest speakers to present during grand round meetings and educational conferences.
Also this year, the college established the Second-Look Visit Program, which invites medical students seeking residencies and physicians seeking fellowships back to MUSC for a guided, second-look visit around campus. Through Reves’ leadership, under-represented minority faculty recruitment has increased from 23 in 2002 to 57 currently.
“I’m a firm believer that in order for diversity to work and be recognized, people of all ethnicities and backgrounds should be willing to talk about diversity, why it’s important and how it benefits everyone,” Deas said. “Dean Reves has been the mouthpiece for the College of Medicine’s diversity plan since his appointment six years ago. He is a champion for diversity and model for change. His leadership and commitment to this is so important to everyone in the college and our institution.”
A Charleston native and 1969 College of Medicine alumnus, Reves returned to Charleston after having been away for 33 years. He received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University before starting medical school at MUSC. He completed an anesthesiology residency at the University of Alabama Hospital and Clinics in Birmingham. After serving a brief tour in the Navy at Bethesda Naval Hospital, Reves returned to Birmingham, where he ultimately served as a professor and director of Anesthesiology Research. In 1984, he joined the faculty at Duke University Medical Center and became professor of Anesthesiology and director of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia. In 1987, he helped found the Duke Heart Center and became its first director. He was chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology from 1991 to 2001 before joining MUSC as College of Medicine dean.
Other nominees recognized for this year’s diversity award are Gabrielle F. Cannick, a College of Medicine student; D. Michael Armstrong, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Myra Haney, College of Medicine; and Liz Sheridan, MUSC Gives Back program.
Embry recognized for student leadership with award
Embry became the 2007 Earl B. Higgins Student Leadership in Diversity recipient April 4.
An Indianapolis native who received his undergraduate degree at Clemson, Embry has been an active student leader within the College of Health Professions Student Government and MUSC Student Government Association (SGA), working with 50 student representatives and six colleges to communicate ideas and initiate service projects for MUSC’s 2,500 students.
Aaron Embry with
his award.Embry is the second recipient of this award initiated in spring 2006, and joins former SGA president Alex Whitely selected with this honor.
“Aaron’s involvement in student life and diversity at the university level speaks volumes about his commitment and participation,” said Robin Hardin, associate director of student programs, in a nomination letter she wrote to the committee. “Aaron promotes race relations and enriches diversity by just being who he is and doing a great job with his plethora of extracurricular/co-curricular activities, service endeavors and leadership positions. Aaron leads by example. He is an all-around great guy, role model and a peer leader to all students.”
Embry initiated and contributed to a regular column called Around the World, which appeared monthly in the student newsletter, Student Lifelines.
From 2004 to 2006, Embry was an SGA student representative for the Multi-Cultural Student Advisory Board, one of two universitywide organizations recognized by the association. Through his collaborative work in numerous projects and tireless commitment, Embry’s leadership and participation led others to be more involved in organized cultural celebrations.
In 2006, Embry was elected to academic vice president in a special election. In his most recent role, Embry chaired the University Honor Council and helped guide a new council amendment from inception to approval with MUSC’s Board of Trustees. Additionally, he championed efforts for better handicap access at the Education Center/Library and Basic Science buildings. He also advocated for improvements to lighting, temperature control and overall cleanliness within the Education Center/Library.
Embry is an active student-participant in multiple team intramural sports, and helped write a new intramurals sportsmanship policy for the campus. The policy, which was adopted by SGA, is to assure friendly and enjoyable competition while displaying sportsman-like conduct among all participants.
He was also an active member of the Association of Black Health Professionals and served on numerous projects and committees throughout the institution. He helped his college in the recruitment of new health care professionals through Student Welcome Day and represented his specialty as an interprofessional member with MUSC’s team at the National Clinician Administrator Relationship Improvement Organization meeting, also known as the Clarion Competition.
Embry’s community service work focused on improving the health and well-being of underprivileged and low income families and individuals in the Charleston area. He assisted in educating and caring for patients with the Rural Mission, MUSC CARES Clinic (Community Aid, Relief, Education, and Support), and Habitat for Humanity. He also gives freely of his time to children with mental and physical challenges with the Charleston Miracle League.
“Aaron’s service experiences have no boundaries. He has helped all people from children to the geriatric population, and from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds,” said Jennifer Bailey, director of student affairs in the College of Health Professions. “He is an exemplary leader who has impacted the lives of all students at MUSC, the Charleston community and countless others.”
Friday, April 20, 2007
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