NASHVILLE, TN — MacKenzie Scott has given Meharry Medical College $20 million to support Meharry’s efforts in addressing health disparities and health inequities nationwide.
Meharry President James E.K. Hildreth, Sr. said that Mackenzie Scott recognized Meharry’s continued positive impact on global health for more than 140 years. He said her gift provides a significant opportunity to meaningfully address health disparities and advance health equity while our nation and world are positioned for a moment of enormous change.
Hildreth also said that when he was selected to serve as president nearly seven years ago, Meharry’s mission was to continue transforming this historic institution. He set a goal to develop a more diverse health care workforce; improve health equity through new approaches to treatment, research, public health and health policy; and define and implement a new model for delivering patient-centered care.
Hildreth said, “Meharry’s unprecedented growth and change have been underway at the institution since 2015. Aligned with this plan, these funds will help advance our 2026 strategic vision, as well as support the development of several vital programs and infrastructure improvements. It will also transform the College ahead of its sesquicentennial celebration”.
Meharry will continue to diversify the health care landscape as a top producer of primary care physicians. In dental care, Meharry trains more than 40 percent of all Black dentists in the nation. The School of Graduate Studies and Research is consistently recognized as a top producer of African-American biomedical Ph.D. graduates. The newest School of Applied Computational Sciences is advancing scholarship in key domains of data science by innovating through academic excellence and research, connecting to key health care, business and thought leaders in computational science and serving society at large.
Hildreth said that he was grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her gift that recognizes the significant contributions Meharrians have made serving the underserved since Meharry’s founding in 1876 and for investing in the schools future as a global leader in advancing health care for all.