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By focusing on Georgia students
and preparing physicians who will
serve Georgia communities, Mercer
is helping expand access to quality
healthcare where it is needed most.
Impactful Initiatives
Elkins pointed to two initiatives
that she feels best reflect Mercer’s
mission and impact, made possible
thanks to many hands: Mercer On
Mission and its School of Medicine.
Mercer On Mission pairs academic excellence with global
service, providing life-changing
experiences for our students. One
experience especially meaningful to
Elkins was her participation in Mercer On Mission in Ecuador. “Working alongside students as they applied their knowledge and talents to
address real-world challenges was
incredibly inspiring,” said Elkins. “It
reminded me that education is most
powerful when paired with service,
while reinforcing the remarkable
impact Mercer students are making
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not only across Georgia, but around
the world.”
Similarly, what makes the
School of Medicine so special is
that it was founded with a very
clear purpose: to improve healthcare access for Georgians. Unlike
any other medical school in the
state, the M.D. program exclusively
admits Georgia residents. “That
is an intentional decision rooted
in our mission and our belief that
the best way to address physician
shortages is to educate students
who have deep connections to the
communities they are most likely to
serve,” said Elkins.
For decades, Mercer has recruited aspiring physicians from rural
and medically underserved areas of
Georgia, invested in their success,
and prepared them to return home
to practice medicine. Today, you can
see the results of that commitment
in communities across the state.
Mercer graduates are caring for families, serving as primary care physi-
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cians, and helping expand access
to healthcare in places where it is
often needed most.
“As the first person in my family
to earn a bachelor’s degree, I never
forget how profoundly education
can change a life. Mercer certainly
changed mine, which is why so
much of what I enjoy outside of
my role as president is connected
to helping create opportunities for
others,” said Elkins.
“I am passionate about education, leadership development, and
initiatives that support women
and children across Georgia,” she
continued. “Over the years, I have
been fortunate to serve in a variety
of statewide leadership roles, and
those opportunities have reinforced
my belief that investing in people is
one of the most meaningful ways
we can strengthen our communities and our state.”
Baker Owens is a staff writer for James and
James Magazine Online.
