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FAITH NINIVAGGI
Michael F. Collins, MD Chancellor and Senior Vice President for the Health Sciences
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s the commonwealth’s first and only public medical school looks ahead to our next 50 years of transformation, we have reason to be optimistic about our future and our ability to positively impact the health and well-being of the diverse communities of Massachusetts and the world. Undeterred by the pandemic’s ongoing disruptions, undaunted by rising expectations and unafraid to aspire to greatness, we are a medical school on the move. Our special public mission underscores what we are about. Our steadfast commitment to change the course of the history of disease informs all that we do. Our collaborative culture shapes how we go about doing just that. Support for our learners—tomorrow’s medical, nursing and scientific leaders—is unwavering as we continue to direct considerable resources toward strengthening the academic mission and nurturing a more inclusive, diverse and welcoming learning environment. Our worldclass research enterprise is experiencing impressive growth and now totals more than $400 million in research grants and contracts, from cutting-edge basic science inquiry to novel translational projects focused, for example, on developing new COVID-19 diagnostic tests. The dynamism of our institution is palpable, and signs of our rapid transformation are everywhere. Our everexpanding campus footprint in Worcester is one such sign. This past November, it was wonderful to mark the completion of the state-of-the-art VA community-based outpatient clinic we built on behalf of area veterans and our VA partners. This winter, steel beams will begin to rise from another active construction site, signaling an exciting phase in an ambitious project to construct a gleaming nine-story education and research building in the heart of the campus.
28 | WINTER 2022
Perhaps a more compelling and poignant sign underscoring our institutional momentum occurred on Sept. 7, when we announced a historic $175 million gift commitment from The Morningside Foundation and the Chan family. This philanthropic investment has been a game-changer. As the gift’s impact will be transformational, so, too, must be our efforts and actions in creating a new future for UMass Chan Medical School—one that positions us as a leader in re-imagining health sciences education and research, advancing health equity and the diversity of our health care and research workforce, and establishing new models of engaging and partnering with community and industry stakeholders. While our IMPACT 2025 Strategic Plan continues to guide our general direction and priorities, I have asked Executive Deputy Chancellor, Provost and Dean of the T.H. Chan School of Medicine Terry Flotte to convene leaders from across our academic, research, educational and operational enterprise to define a bold future that is fully aligned with our current strategic plan but distinguished by ideas worthy of this uniquely transformational moment in our history.
Undeterred by the pandemic’s ongoing disruptions, undaunted by rising expectations, and unafraid to aspire to greatness, we are a medical school on the move. We have shown that there are no limits to the adaptability, ingenuity and resourcefulness of our faculty, staff and students, and we shall depend upon their insights, contributions and expertise to propel us to even greater heights in the years ahead. As we make the most of the opportunity before us, we recognize the need to be more adaptive and responsive to the constantly changing world around us and the pressing and complex global challenges confronting us. It will require us to recalibrate the methods we use to optimally prepare our students to thrive and make a real-world impact following graduation. As we embark on this essential work, we will make UMass Chan Medical School’s presence known and impact felt— in Central Massachusetts, across the commonwealth and throughout the world. ■
