LEXINGTON, Ky. — CHI Saint Joseph Health and the More in Common Alliance are partnering with the Morehouse School of Medicine and Kentucky State University to offer a summer program focused on STEM and health careers to middle school, high school and college students in Fayette and Franklin counties.
The More in Common STEM and Health Careers Summer Academy will be offered July 29-August 2 at Kentucky State University.
The weeklong residential academy will focus on academic enrichment and career/skill development focused on health care fields. For younger students, the academy will offer an introduction to research and careers in health care.
CHI Saint Joseph Health is part of CommonSpirit Health, which developed the More in Common Alliance with the Morehouse School of Medicine to address the underlying causes of health inequities, including the lack of representation among care providers. That partnership inspired this academy, which is similar to opportunities offered by Morehouse School of Medicine at its Atlanta campus. CHI Saint Joseph Health is also partnering with Kentucky State University to provide scholarships and learning opportunities for nursing students.
“At CHI Saint Joseph Health, we are focused on creating innovative educational opportunities to expose students to the health care career pathway when they are young to spark an interest in health care careers among our youth,” said Anthony Houston, Ed.D., FACHE, market president, CHI Saint Joseph Health. “We are excited to partner with the Morehouse School of Medicine, through the More in Common Alliance, and Kentucky State University to provide this summer program for young people in our communities who otherwise may not have an opportunity to explore their interest in a future working in health care.”
“The ‘More In Common STEM and Health Careers Summer Academy’ is a groundbreaking collaboration between Morehouse School of Medicine, CHI Saint Joseph Health and Kentucky State University,” said Ryan Clark, Ph.D., M.S., director, office for Educational Outreach and Health Careers, Morehouse School of Medicine. “This innovative summer program aims to provide pathways for economically and educationally disadvantaged K-college students in the Lexington area who aspire to careers in health professions, public health and biomedical sciences. By uniting our expertise, our goal is to engage, educate and elevate the minds of the next generation of health learners and leaders. Together, we are committed to empowering students with the knowledge and skills they need to excel in their future endeavors and make meaningful contributions to the field of health care.”
“If you think about the goal that the Morehouse School of Medicine and CHI Saint Joseph Health share, it’s really to improve the health of their community. They are dedicated to serving those populations which would be described as marginalized or vulnerable,” said Veronica T. Mallett, MD, MMM, senior vice president and chief administrative officer, More in Common Alliance. “We just want people to like their optimal health and we want to provide them a path to having that be a possibility.”
“Kentucky State University is proud to celebrate a partnership with CHI Saint Joseph Health to foster young minds in the STEM areas,” said Koffi Akakpo, Ph.D., president, Kentucky State University. “We collectively recognize exposing students early and often in STEM fields can promote opportunities that spur career choices in these fields.”
The summer academy will be offered free of charge to eligible students. High school and college students will be asked to write an essay about their career aspirations and motivation for attending the program. For middle school students, the program is asking teachers to recommend students who may benefit from attending the academy.
For more information and to apply, visit www.www.MICASTEMAcademy.org.
