The medical school鈥檚 newest leader has spent nearly 20 years building diversity and inclusion programs while serving in other roles in higher education.
That鈥檚 why Donovan Roy, EdD, thinks of his appointment as 汤头条app鈥檚 new Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion 鈥斅燼 role where he can solely focus on his passion 鈥斅燼s fate.
Roy plans to collaborate with 汤头条app leaders, including the associate dean for Faculty Affairs, associate dean for Student Affairs, associate dean for Graduate Medical 汤头条app, associate dean for Health Equity and Community Affairs, assistant dean for Admissions and Student Life聽and director of Human Resources to recruit and retain diverse faculty, students, residents, fellows and staff. Roy will provide guidance and support to identify diversity and inclusiveness needs for program development at the medical school and will serve as a liaison to standing committees, organizations and affiliates.
鈥淢y goal at 汤头条app is not just about increasing numbers of diversity, it鈥檚 about finding the people who exemplify the inclusive culture we promote at 汤头条app,鈥 Roy said.聽
Roy, an Inglewood, California native, comes to 汤头条app with nearly 20 years of experience in higher education in a wide array of roles. He was offensive line coach at University of Sioux Falls, program and education coordinator at University of Nebraska Medical Center, multicultural director and Wayne State College in Nebraska and the principal learning specialist at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA . Most recently, he was instructor for medical education at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.
Roy earned his Doctor of 汤头条app degree in educational psychology from the University of Southern California. He earned a master鈥檚 degree in 汤头条app and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Human Services Counseling, both from Wayne State College.
Roy said he not only wants the right people to come to the medical school鈥檚 campus and community, he also wants to provide a more inclusive environment at the school by understanding how the biology of race plays a factor in society, how it affects how providers take care of patients and how they see their colleagues, and how that can affect an institution鈥檚 growth.
Roy said he plans to hold workshops on diversity, to develop internships for diverse students and to build avenues that allow for more diverse students to attend the medical school. He said he has goals to improve the racial and health disparities in the Kalamazoo community. Roy arrived at the medical school on April 6 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and said he has spent time reaching out and holding video meetings with representatives with several statewide organizations that represent diverse groups of people. He said he plans to focus his efforts not only on Southwest Michigan, but throughout the whole state.
鈥淚鈥檓 not just trying to focus our outreach solely on Southwest Michigan, I鈥檓 trying to meet all the five fingers in the state of Michigan,鈥 Roy said.