ATLANTA— Mercer University President William D. Underwood named state Representative Ron Stephens (R- Savannah) to the Board of Governors for the Mercer School of Medicine in Savannah. As member of the Board of Governors, Representative Stephens will provide counsel to the President of Mercer University on the direction and character of Mercer’s Savannah Medical School. He will also help recruit students, assist in planning campaigns of support, and offer advice on important aspects of the operation and governance of the school.
“I am honored to be chosen to serve my alma mater, the people of Savannah, and the state of Georgia as a member of the Board of Governors for the Mercer School of Medicine in Savannah,” said Representative Stephens. “Our state, along with most of the country, is facing a shortage qualified healthcare providers, especially in rural areas. By expanding the Mercer Medical School to Savannah and specializing in the health care needs of rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia we have taken a step towards solving that problem.”
In August of 2008, Mercer University, in partnership with Memorial University Medical Center and the State of Georgia, opened a new medical school campus in Savannah. This is the first new medical school campus in Georgia in more than 25 years. The Mercer University School of Medicine – Savannah is committed to educating primary care physicians to meet the health care needs of rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia, while engaging in cutting-edge research to address the most pressing health care challenges of our age.
“The University is very pleased that Representative Ron Stephens – a Mercer graduate – has agreed to serve on the Board of Governors for the Mercer School of Medicine in Savannah,” said President William D. Underwood. “He is a highly respected member of the Georgia legislature and is well regarded in the Savannah community. The Board of Governors will benefit greatly from his knowledge of the University, the Savannah area and the Georgia legislature’s commitment to medical education. We are deeply grateful for his willingness to serve the University in this capacity.”
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Representative Ron Stephens represents the citizens of District 164, which includes portions of Bryan, Chatham, and Liberty Counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 1996, and is currently the Chairman of the Economic Development & Tourism Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations, Rules, and Ways & Means Committees