President David Carlisle’ s 2020 State of the University Address:
MOVING FORWARD IN A CHANGING WORLD
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The MMDSON made its first appearance in the prestigious US News and World Report university rankings in 2019, at # 189 for Best Graduate Nursing Schools. This year, they jumped 30 places to # 159.
CDU’ s Research division received a five-year renewal of CDU’ s U54 Center for Accelerating Excellence in Translational Science( AXIS) grant, totaling $ 18.76 Million from NIMHD. Since initial funding in 2009, the AXIS Center has supported CDU faculty with 18 pilot projects, and 15 vouchers for priority areas in Cancer, cardio-metabolic disease, HIV / AIDS and Community Outreach.
The new COSH Community Health Worker Academy within the Cynthia Davis Lifelong Learning Institute for Community Transformation received funding from two sources. The first was a two-year grant from the California Governor’ s Office of Business and Economic Development’ s reinvestment grants program from a partnership with Providence Health Services worth $ 649,996, and the second was a two-year grant from Cedars-Sinai for $ 243,245 to fund additional training modules.
For the third year in a row, four College of Medicine students received full-ride scholarships of over $ 358,000 each from LA Care Health Plan’ s“ Elevating the Safety Net” program. Those students and their undergraduate colleges are: Ope Akerele, Stanford; Kendra Arriaga Castellanos, UCLA; Bryce Bentley, UCLA; and Jahmil Lacey, Morehouse College.
President Carlisle described the new Independent Medical Education Program project as a long-desired objective now coming to fruition. He noted progress in all areas of project development, including the architects’ work on the schematic design for the Health Professions Education Building, and planning of the upcoming fundraising effort. He also lauded other campus projects including this year’ s new student center and the progress in constructing the APLA Health Building.
He announced this year’ s Outstanding Faculty awards that went to Dr. David Martins for Outstanding Professor; Dr. Sheila Young, for Outstanding Community Service; and Dr. Marlies Rosario, for Outstanding Teaching. He restated that the mission of the University remains as it was at its founding 54 years ago: to recruit and train people who look like the members of the community that they serve.
CDU is playing a vital role on the impact of workforce diversity, helping to hasten the increase of trained people of color within the ranks of physicians, registered nurses and other qualified professionals statewide. The University is now the number one ranked university nationally in faculty diversity and is poised to take on greater challenges to promote the changing mindset.
Dr. Carlisle reminded his audience that as recently a ten years ago, the University came very close to being shuttered. Now, it is anticipated that CDU may have an enrollment census of over 1,000 students during the Fall semester in its various departments and programs.
He closed the address by stating that the University will continue to make a difference. He cited the comments of the late John Lewis in an interview conducted just prior to his recent death:“ We must never give up or give in. Press on, motivate, inspire. Stay engaged. Don’ t lose hope.” A mantra worth repeating in perpetuity.
CDU COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | PG. 04