“ CDU at a Crossroads”: A President’ s State of the University( continued)
and showed his pride in the effort put forth. The people who got us through COVID-19. The campus leaders who entertained visitors from the Dominican Republic, Malawi, Honduras, and Venezuela. He paid tribute to the leaders who led the humanitarian / student training efforts of faculty, administrators, and students who traveled to Zambia, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. He gave a shoutout to the Beyond the Borders program developed by the Office of International Affairs.
Dr. Carlisle likened the many achievers to the people who have driven the University and the community’ s recent successes as on par with the dreams of the institution’ s founders. Considering our history, the achievements are mountain-moving: the new 4-year MD program with preliminary accreditation granted on the first attempt, now open for business. The School of Nursing, now the College of Nursing, poised to offer a Doctorate in Nursing Practice. The achievements of COSH under its new Dean. The annual list of Outstanding Professors and the growing list of dynamic Women of Distinction. His subtle message: you could be next. The President was purposeful, determined, hopeful, encouraging, and secure as he tendered these encomiums.
He offered his thanks to those people who have been instrumental in identifying and acquiring funding to build a substantial bridge to an innovative and secure future. He identified ground-breaking innovators on campus, operating and manipulating 21st century technology in this quest to eradicate health care disparities – our mission – while training a seasoned corps of 21st century doctors, nurses, scientists, and health policy wizards. It was all there, and much more, in the SOTU.
Dr. Carlisle was very laudatory in reminding us of the array of service efforts, and the new funding for longstanding initiatives that have come the University’ s way. The gun violence series was a public health initiative that raised the ante for more research, policy development and steps to prevention. You may recall that State Attorney General Rob Bonta was part of the discussion as keynote speaker. As a commitment to keeping the campus safe, Dr. Carlisle noted that the FBI and Homeland Security have been called on to train security staff as needed.
Then there is the research enterprise that CDU has built as a legacy effort over the years. A recently developed partnership with world-ranked Novartis Pharmaceuticals has yielded a $ 5.7M grant with the intent of streamlining clinical trials. The American Cancer Society has granted CDU $ 2.5M to establish a Diversity in Cancer Research supporting the work of researchers at various levels of participation, with the emphasis on reduction of health disparities as a core focus.
The University has received $ 11.5M from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to address significant gaps in genomic research as part of a $ 46M initiative awarded to the four historically Black medical institutions. $ 3.4M was awarded by the California Department of Health Care Access in Information to empower this new generation of medical professionals.
Perhaps the award of which President Carlisle was most proud was the $ 1.1M grant awarded to the Mobile Student Medical Program. He noted that the bequest was conferred by vote of Los Angeles city residents. He also thanked the federal government for the continuous awards bestowed through the HRSA program, dedicated to more equitable health care in the neediest sectors of American life. Drew CARES was cited as a major point of pride for its work in fighting the ongoing HIV / AIDS epidemic.
CDU Rising? Indeed. Dr. Carlisle noted that this key fundraising initiative is the result of the Office of Strategic Advancement being able to connect with a variety of partners. There are three significant pillars: investing in student success; joint support for faculty and general operations; and construction of the Health Professions Education Building to house the new 4-year MD program and other landmark projects. CDU Rising was kicked off with a goal of $ 75M, which was achieved more than two years ahead of schedule. Now the goal has soared to $ 95M.
Dr. Carlisle also referenced people essential to CDU’ s history that had died within the past year. Dr. Robert Tranquada, a founding member of the CDU Board of Trustees. Dr. Wilbert Jordan was acknowledged as a person known throughout the world as a paragon of action in the fight against HIV / AIDS. Watts resident Arturo Ibarra, recently deceased, was noted as a CDU Foundation Board member and recipient of an honorary doctorate. Gone too soon; never forgotten.
What’ s next with the University at the Crossroads? The parcel of vacant land north of campus on 118th Street will be a site of facilities that serve the Watts-Willowbrook- Compton community as a home for innovation.
President Carlisle’ s North Star? Dr. Charles Richard Drew, he declared. Dr. Drew’ s hallmark was Excellence. Shaping the next era of health care by eradicating disparities continues as an all-encompassing vision, he prophetically noted in closing.
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 4