Rhodes College receives $900K grant to strengthen health equity education in Memphis

This story was updated to clarify Kendra Hotz's position with Rhodes College.

Rhodes College received $900,000 to support health equity education in Memphis and deepen its existing community partnerships.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant, given over 39 months, will go toward initiatives teaching students and citizens about the social and cultural determinants of health, including a new post-baccalaureate certificate in health equity launched this school year, according to a release from the college.

Rhodes considers its engagement with the city an essential fixture to the educational experience it provides, said President Marjorie Hass, and the college is honored to continue and expand existing initiatives with the grant funding. 

“We hope this work will contribute to a culture of health equity in Memphis,” she said in the release.

Currently, the college partners with several healthcare, cultural and justice organizations, among others in Memphis and will use to grant to gain expertise for educational events, research and teaching. On Monday, the college hosted its first lecture in a four-lecture series for family medical residents. Rhodes will also partner with the Wellness and Stress Clinic of Memphis to focus on access to culturally-competent healthcare, and will provide health equity workshops to staff at local K-12 schools, according to the release.

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For undergraduates, Rhodes will develop 15 new courses focused on health disparities, host two events raising health and social well-being awareness, and supplement students’ first-year seminar with more information about social inequalities in Memphis and how they can contribute to a more equitable future.

The college’s Robert R. Waller chair of population health and director of the new health equity certificate, Kendra Hotz, acknowledged the city has incredible assets but faces significant health inequalities. 

“We can measure the justice of a society in the bodies of is people,” Hotz said in the release. “This grant offers us an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the city and with community partners who are working to build equity. It will equip our students to grapple with an important challenge in our city and to contribute to building structures that ensure everyone has a fair chance to flourish.” 

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation makes grants in four areas, including higher education and scholarship in the humanities; arts and cultural heritage; scholarly communication; and international higher education and strategic projects. According to its online database, this is the largest grant it has ever awarded to Rhodes College. 

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Rhodes has been the recipient of 15 Mellon grants, totaling $4.56 million since the foundation began giving grants 50 years ago in 1969, according to Mellon's database.

Over the last 50 years, Mellon awarded an additional $1 million in grants to other Memphis institutions, including LeMoyne-Owen College, Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Memphis. 

The foundation most recently gave a $600,000, 3-year grant to Rhodes in 2016 for a partnership with the National Civil Rights Museum to co-create curriculum and programming designed to extend the reach of the liberal arts into the Memphis community.

Laura Testino covers education and children's issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @LDTestino