Meharry Medical College has announced a $20 million donation to enhance its mission to serve underserved populations and cultivate the next generation of health care providers and researchers. The gift by an anonymous donor will be used toward programmatic and scholarship support.
“On behalf of all Meharrians, I express our deep gratitude to the generous donor for this extraordinary gift,” said James E.K. Hildreth, Ph.D., M.D., CEO and president of Meharry.
“This donation will allow us to continue strengthening our educational programs and financially assisting more students who wish to attend Meharry with the goal of providing care to those who need it the most. The effects of this gift will extend far beyond our campus, touching the lives of countless individuals and families worldwide.”
Hildreth said the $20 million gift will allow Meharry to broaden its educational offerings and encourage students to champion improved health outcomes for all. The substantial investment underscores Meharry’s dedication to excellence, service and pioneering advancements in health care education and research.
“This gift is a testament to the importance of Meharry’s mission to improve health care and health equity for people in Nashville and around the globe,” said Juan McGruder, Ph.D., senior vice president of institutional advancement at Meharry. “We are deeply thankful to this donor, and all the donors to Meharry, who recognize the critical role our college plays in the lives and livelihood of generations to come.”
Under the leadership of Dr. Hildreth, Meharry has been laser-focused on expanding its reach and increasing the impact of the diverse physicians, dentists and researchers it annually produces. The college has begun new programs that meet the needs of today’s health care workforce, such as its Physician Assistant Sciences Program launched in 2022, and the nation’s first School of Global Health launched in 2023.
Meharry’s mission-first approach has led to a significant influx of philanthropic gifts and corporate investments from a range of funders. In August, Bloomberg Philanthropies awarded $175 million to Meharry’s endowment, the largest donation in the college’s nearly 150-year history. The gift from Bloomberg followed a $34 million investment it made in reducing Meharry student debt in 2020 and an additional $6 million to support the medical school’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
Additionally, the college received a $20 million grant from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to continue meaningfully addressing health disparities and advancing health equity. Meharry also has formed partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies such as Regeneron, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk and Roche, which invested a total $80 million in Meharry’s Together 4 CHANGE initiative and the establishment of The Diaspora Human Genomics Institute to address historical inequities that have left Black communities underrepresented in disease prevention research, education and treatment development.
