SUNY Board Chairman H. Carl McCall Awarded Honorary Doctorate from The University of the West Indies
Nov 5, 2018
Ceremony Coincides with Launch of the SUNY-UWI National Institutes of Health’s Fogarty Research Training Program
JAMAICA - State University of New York Board Chairman H. Carl McCall was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from The University of the West Indies (The UWI) at their Mona campus Saturday, November 3, for his leadership in public service. The honor, his 10th in his career, was approved by the University Council and conferred at The UWI’s 2018 graduation ceremony and presented by Chancellor Robert Bermudez.
The Chairman’s visit to The UWI also included attending the launch of the SUNY-UWI National Institutes of Health’s Fogarty Research Training Program, which is a collaboration between the University at Buffalo and The UWI’s Mona campus. The program was made possible by a grant of $1.5 million for the Global Infections Diseases Research Training Program by the National Institutes of Health.
“The opening of the SUNY-UWI Global Infections Diseases Research Training Program, which will be significant for the healthcare sectors of both of our regions, is a truly momentous occasion,” said SUNY Chairman McCall. “Education, at its heart, is about bringing people together, and this collaboration will help us to make improvements to infrastructure, jobs, healthcare, and education that we all earnestly need. I am proud to receive an honorary doctorate from The UWI, and I am excited to continue to witness the remarkable feats that this partnership can accomplish.”
“Chairman McCall’s leadership continues to be instrumental in creating the ongoing partnership between SUNY and The UWI, which has now led to the birth of a key training program that will significantly benefit the health sector,” said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. “This collaboration is a prime example of how working in multicultural teams leads to making breakthroughs across disciplines, and Chairman McCall recognizes how much our communities, nations, and world benefit. I congratulate Chairman McCall and I look forward to our continued work between the two systems.”
Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles said, “Chairman McCall is a brilliant, inspirational educational leader whose strategic and ethical calculus leads to bridge building across the most turbulent waters. Because he sees so deeply the stillness beneath the surface he clearly captures the foundations on which to build solid relationships. The SUNY-UWI Center for Leadership and Sustainable Development is one such structure he has created to span the hemisphere of higher education. We are thrilled to have made our historic entry into the global market, partnering with SUNY to launch this Center in New York two years ago. It signaled our first step in an aggressive globalization strategy which has helped us to be rated highly for our international outlook in hemispheric and world higher education rankings. We look forward to continued partnerships on joint projects like the health research program and others that impact the wellbeing of our people and region.”
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.