Chancellor Reaves (center), President Smith (left) and Provost Allen exchange views after the signing ceremony.
Chancellor Donald J. Reaves and Dr. Claibourne Smith, president of Delaware State University (DSU,) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) November 7 to establish a fellowship program designed to increase the number of African Americans and underrepresented minorities who earn graduate degrees in physical therapy.
“This relationship with Delaware State will enhance our ability to recruit the most qualified students to our physical therapy graduate program,” said Reaves. “Creating this new Fellowship Program should benefit both of our schools and, more importantly benefit our students and the patients they serve.”
The MOU means that WSSU will guarantee some admissions spots to highly qualified DSU graduates and arrange to have current WSSU students mentor potential program fellows. In addition to the mentoring, some of DSU undergrads involved in the program may participate in the WSSU Graduate Student Research Conference and be eligible for available graduate assistantships once they move from the fellowship program to the WSSU graduate program.
“Both of our institutions have been working diligently to increase minority representation in all of the STEM areas. This agreement should only strengthen those efforts as we work together to support more of our students earning graduate degrees in the area of physical therapy,” Reaves added.
Others from WSSU participating in the signing included: Dr. Brenda Allen, provost; Dr. Fidelis Ikem, dean, the School of Graduate Studies and Research; Dr. Peggy Valentine, dean, the School of Health Sciences; Dr. Teresa Conner-Kerr, chair, Department of Physical Therapy; Dr. Robert Cowie, professor of physical therapy; and Dr. Glenna Batson, assistant professor of physical therapy.
Other participants from Delaware State included: Dr. Harry Williams, provost; Dr. Lisa Barkley, dean, College of Health and Public Policy; and Dr. Carla Murgia, acting chair, Department of Public and Allied health Sciences.
