CHEYNEY, Pennsylvania — The University of New England (UNE) and Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, the nation’s first historically Black university, are pleased to announce a collaboration aimed at fostering new pathways to medical education for qualified students.
The two universities have signed an articulation agreement to provide a pathway for qualified Cheyney undergraduates to pursue a medical education at UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM).
The agreement reflects the values of both institutions, with Cheyney’s whole-person approach to student development mirroring the osteopathic principles embodied by UNE COM — of holistic, patient-centered care and promoting health rather than solely treating disease. More broadly, the agreement is a testament to UNE’s mission of improving the health of people, communities, and our shared planet.
Cheyney’s agreement with UNE is part of its ongoing efforts to meet the growing demand of bioscience and technology majors. With 24 percent of the student body enrolled within these majors, the university is increasing awareness of career options for these students through its partnerships with institutions and biotech companies and expanding opportunities with external like-minded partners, providing internships and careers.
UNE President James Herbert remarked that the partnership represents the university’s latest effort to expand pipelines to medical school while encouraging more students to pursue careers as physicians and meet both Maine and the nation’s health care workforce needs.
“As Maine’s only medical school, we feel a special responsibility to provide our aging state and region with a steady stream of primary care physicians as well as the full range of specialized doctors who can make equally important contributions to their fields and to the people who depend on them for care,” Herbert stated.
“Our partnership with the University of New England will provide another pathway for our students to enter medical careers,” said Cheyney President Aaron A. Walton. “We have taken an innovative approach to building health career awareness, and we want our students to have continued engagement in the field of medicine beyond degree completion.”
Cheyney is among the growing list of colleges and universities with which UNE COM has formed such agreements, including Tufts University and the University of Vermont.
To celebrate the agreement, the two universities will host a signing ceremony on UNE’s Portland Campus on Tuesday, July 18, at 10:30 a.m.
The event, to be held in the Newbury Room of Alumni Hall, will feature remarks from both UNE and Cheyney University officials and will be attended by students from both universities. With support from grant funding, a cohort of Cheyney students are spending three days touring UNE’s campuses and the surrounding communities.
About Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Founded in 1837, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the nation’s oldest historically Black institution of higher education. Building on this legacy, the vision for Cheyney is to become the premier model for academic excellence, character development, and social responsibility among not only Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but in all of American higher education. The campus is located on 275 acres straddling Delaware and Chester Counties. Read more at www.cheyney.edu.
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