CHI Saint Joseph Health, More in Common Alliance Partner with Morehouse School of Medicine, KSU to Offer Summer Academy

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 18, 2024) – 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 MICASTEMAcademy.org.

About CHI Saint Joseph Health

CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in CHI Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services toward a goal of building a healthier future for all. CHI Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves.

About More in Common Alliance

The More in Common Alliance is a partnership between Morehouse School of Medicine and CommonSpirit Health. Morehouse School of Medicine is a historically Black medical school and one of America’s leading educators of primary care physicians, and CommonSpirit Health is one of America’s largest health systems with locations in 21 states from coast to coast. Knowing patients consistently fare better when treated by clinicians of similar backgrounds who share lived experiences, the More in Common Alliance seeks to address critical gaps in care by increasing cultural competency and expanding representation. Together, we are leading a 10-year, $100-million initiative to expand undergraduate and graduate medical education to build a more diverse and dynamic workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

About CommonSpirit Health

CommonSpirit Health is a nonprofit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. It was created in February 2019 by Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. With its national office in Chicago and a team of over 150,000 employees and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice clinicians, CommonSpirit operates 140 hospitals and more than 1,500 care sites across 21 states. In FY 2021, CommonSpirit had revenues of $33.3 billion and provided $5.1 billion in charity care, community benefit, and unreimbursed government programs. Learn more at www.commonspirit.org.

About Morehouse School of Medicine

Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation’s leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically-Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation’s number one medical school in fulfilling a social mission—the creation and advancement of health equity. MSM faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research, and public policy, as well as exceptional patient care. MSM is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master’s degrees. To learn more about programs and donate today, please visit www.msm.edu or call (404) 752-1500.

About Kentucky State University

Founded in 1886, Kentucky State University (KSU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Frankfort, Kentucky. KSU offers undergraduate and graduate programs in various disciplines, including agriculture, health, and natural resources. The School of Nursing at KSU is committed to promoting the health and well-being of all people through high-quality nursing education. Accredited by the National League of Nursing since 1973, our nursing program prepares diverse, clinically competent, and caring nurses who make significant contributions to the healthcare profession and global health agenda. KSU's philosophy emphasizes holistic care, lifelong learning, and the importance of nursing research in improving health outcomes. For more information visit https://www.kysu.edu/ or call (502) 597-6556.

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