MSM Catalyst Newsletter | Faculty & Staff Edition

This weekly publication allows MSM employees to stay informed, engaged and connected. Please share your news and updates with us by clicking the link below. If you are not receiving this communication, please send an email to marcomm@msm.edu.

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MSM Takes Chicago for NMA

It has been a phenomenal convening for MSM’s leaders, faculty, students and alumni at the 2025 National Medical Association (NMA) Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly. On Monday, July 21, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice and Dean Joseph Tyndall, in partnership with the Morehouse School of Medicine National Alumni Association (MSMNAA), hosted an engaging networking event that brought together generations of MSM excellence.

August 5: Update the Passwords for Your MSM Devices

To enhance our cybersecurity and align with best practices, Morehouse School of Medicine is updating its password requirements. Beginning August 5, all network passwords must be alphanumeric and at least 15 characters long. Longer passwords significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches. This update reflects our commitment to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) and a more secure digital environment.

What You Can Do:

Use a passphrase: Choose a memorable sentence that's difficult to guess. Example: CoffeeBreaksMakeMondaysBetter1!

Try a password manager: These tools can securely generate, store, and manage your passwords.

Important: If you haven’t updated your password by August 5, you’ll be prompted to create a new one the next time you log in.

August 12: 2025 Annual Research Orientation

The Office of Compliance and Corporate Integrity invites all new research faculty and staff to the 2025 Annual Research Orientation, on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. Attendance is required for all new research faculty and staff.

Note: No video or audio will be recorded.

Reminder: Room Bookings Have Moved to Microsoft Outlook Calendar

EMS expired on Tuesday, July 15. Students, faculty and staff must reserve rooms on Main Campus directly through their Outlook Calendar. Additionally, room reservation panels have been installed outside some meeting rooms, allowing for walk-up scheduling and real-time availability. Throughout the month of July, IT will host a series of training sessions to assist you with the transition. Learn more

Note: To reserve large meeting rooms in the Calvin Smyre Education Conference Center or the NCPC Auditorium, you must complete this form and Rob Landers, MSM Special Events Director, will follow-up on the request.

New MSM Faculty Opportunities Available

On July 1, 2025, the Graduate Education Nursing Department officially became the newest member of the MSM learning community! Renee McLeod-Sordjan DNP, PhD, MBA, FNAP, FAAN, our Founding Dean & Professor of Nursing, is dedicated to MSM's mission of inter-collaborative excellence in nursing education. To that end, we invite qualified faculty members seeking appointments in the Department of Graduate Nursing to submit their CV and appointment request to nursing@msm.edu.

Complete Your Self- Review in Cornerstone

The FY25 Performance Review Cycle has launched and runs through October 17, 2025. Completing your self-review is an important opportunity to reflect on your contributions, discuss development goals and set a path for the year ahead. To help you prepare and feel confident in each step, the HR team is offering a series of live training sessions as well as web-based courses you can complete at your convenience. All employees are strongly encouraged to participate in training to ensure a smooth and successful experience. The next training session is Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Learn more

Note: You must access Cornerstone from MSM Connect before clicking the link to register.

MSM E-Waste Pickup Process

The IT team is here to help you discard of work items in a sustainable way! E-waste pickup is completed every three months.

Please follow these three simple steps if you have items:

1. Submit an E-Waste form for approval to Tiffany Grady tperkinsgrady@msm.edu.

2. Submit a ticket in ServiceHub.

Click on "Request Something"
Fill out all of the fields that have a red asterisk
In the field named Service, select IT Support Services
In the field named Service Offering, select Hardware
In the field named Category, select E-Waste
For the field named Short Description, type E-Waste Pickup Request
In the Description field, summarize all the items for E-Waste
The last field that you should fill out will be Requestor Manager
Click Submit when finished

3. Email photo(s) of the e-waste equipment to Jeffrey Washington jlwashington@msm.edu.

CVRI Team Joined Fellow AIM

The CVRI team recently joined fellow AIM AHEAD hubs in sunny Dallas, Texas, for the Fourth Annual National Institutes of Health-funded AIM AHEAD Meeting. This dynamic two-day event dedicated to exploring the advances of AI and health data science brought more than 400 researchers, community leaders and institutional partners for thought-provoking presentations, engaging panels, interactive workshops and invaluable networking opportunities. Our CLINAQ Fellow, Rajeev Nowrangi, made us proud by winning a poster prize for his research initiative. The CVRI team left Dallas energized by the shared commitment to innovations in AI and healthcare.

Positive Feedback: Emerging Student Leadership Academy 2025

"This 2-day Academy is a professional development program, facilitated by the Office of Career Connections, focused on building essential competencies such as leadership, communication, critical thinking, professionalism, and teamwork. The curriculum aligns with the core competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and informed by some components of the AAMC 4-Phase career planning process. This experience serves as a valuable opportunity for skills translation and further career exploration. I highly recommend it."

-Kentrell L. Burks

"As a graduate student in the Master of Science in Biotechnology program and a professional in quality assurance, this opportunity allowed me to grow beyond technical expertise and focus on the leadership mindset required to make a lasting impact in healthcare and biotechnology. Through the academy, I gained practical leadership skills, executive-level mentorship, and a powerful network of like-minded peers and changemakers. The experience affirmed my belief that leadership is not just about titles—it's about service, integrity, and the courage to advocate for equity and innovation in the spaces we occupy."

-Donza McGruder

Scientific Seminar Series: A Surgeon's Perspective

The Scientific Seminar Series features MSM esteemed researchers. The major goals of this series are to: increase visibility of the research conducted at MSM and facilitate internal conversations and collaborations important to our strategic imperative of translating discovery into health equity. The speaker for the Friday, July 25 session is Dr. John H. Stewart, IV, MD, MBA, FACS. We look forward to seeing you in MRC, G14 at 1:30 p.m.

You're Invited: Seminar with Dr. Christopher Mason

MSM's Institute of Translational Genomic Medicine invites you to a special seminar featuring Christopher Mason, PhD on Thursday, August 7, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. in NCPC Room 104. Join us to explore cutting-edge advancements in next-generation sequencing, including novel algorithms for tumor evolution, genome evolution, DNA/RNA modifications and more.

Lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Future of Sickle Cell Disease Event

This Scientific American event will gather sickle cell researchers, industry experts, patient advocates and MSM students to discuss cutting-edge new treatments and the road to a cure for the painful and deadly disease. Register now

Georgia CTSA Session: Spatial Biology

Join researchers and clinicians from across the Georgia CTSA for a session on Spatial Biology on September 18. Blue Sky Groups are unstructured meetings that provide a unique opportunity for attendees to drive the agenda and catalyze future collaborations and research opportunities. The discussion will be opened by Dr. Yana Zavros, a leading researcher in the department of Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences. Learn more

August 18: 50th Anniversary Golf Tournament

As we continue celebrating our 50th Anniversary, we invite our internal community to join us for a special day on the green at the MSM 50th Anniversary Golf Tournament. Whether you choose to participate in a golf clinic led by LPGA professional Mariah Stackhouse or play a round of 18 holes, this will be a meaningful opportunity to reflect on our shared commitment to health equity and invest in the next generation of physician leaders. The tournament will bring together alumni, corporate partners, and friends of MSM—along with a few familiar faces from the golf world—for a day that supports our mission and helps address urgent funding priorities critical to sustaining our momentum. Register now

August 30: 50th Anniversary 2025 MACC One Love Cycling Event

Join us as we pedal for a purpose on August 30 at 8 a.m. at The Renaissance Festival, 6905 Virlyn B. Smith Rd, Fairburn, GA 30213. All cyclists must register first. After registration, you can ride as an individual or part of "Team MSM". All Team-MSM participants must register for the event and purchase a cycling kit (cycling jersey and cycling shorts).

Get Started Now!

Step 1: Register now

Step 2: After registering, click here to purchase an MSM-branded Cycling Kit.

NOTE: All routes are well-marked and can be downloaded. Learn about each route here: 27 mi, 44 mi, 62 mi, and 101 mi.

July 2025

07.21 | Summer Learning Series Kick-Off

07.24 | Nurse Learning Symposium Meet & Greet July (2-day event)

07.31 | Leadership Council Retreat

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