The University of New England and the nation's first historically Black university have signed an agreement to establish a pathway for students to pursue a medical degree at UNE.
At a signing ceremony today on UNE's Portland campus, president James Herbert said the collaboration with Cheyney University of Pennsylvania helps solidify UNE'S commitment to diversity and inclusion.
"This partnership represents our latest effort to ensure that the budding doctors we graduate reflect the full richness of American society, and to ensure that we're expanding the pipeline to medical school," Herbert says.
Dr. Pamela Keye, chief social equity officer at Cheyney, compared the relationship between the two schools to a piano keyboard.
"It's made up of two sets of keys," she said. "Those that are white, and those that are black. This partnership for me is an opportunity for Cheyney and UNE to make music together. For collectively we are doing something that this nation needs to understand is always the right thing to do."
School officials say more students will need to pursue medical degrees to help fill a workforce shortage. The agreement will establish mentorships and internships for Cheyney undergrads considering the field of medicine.
