Internationally recognized physician-scientist Michael R. DeBaun, MD, MPH, and President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis Flint W. Fowler, PhD, have recently been elected to the Maryville University Board of Trustees.
“We are pleased to welcome two courageous and passionate leaders to our board,” said Mark Lombardi, PhD, president of Maryville University. “Dr. DeBaun and Dr. Fowler have dedicated their careers to ensuring young people are able to reach their full potential, especially young people of color and young people from underrepresented groups. Their expertise and insights will help Maryville continue to expand higher education access and opportunities for all.”
“The unanimous election of Dr. DeBaun and Dr. Fowler to Maryville’s Board of Trustees demonstrates our eagerness to have such talented and distinguished leaders join us as we accelerate efforts to revolutionize higher education,” said Ed Ryan, chair of the Board of Trustees. “We look forward to their involvement in our work as we guide and support Maryville’s mission.”
Michael R. DeBaun, MD, MPH
DeBaun is founding director of the Vanderbilt-Meharry Center for Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease in Nashville. The Center is one of the first in the country to establish a medical home care model for children and adults with sickle cell disease in a community health center.
DeBaun’s advocacy and research have resulted in fundamental medical advances in care of children and adults with sickle cell disease. For more than 20 years, his efforts in sickle cell disease have focused on epidemiology, cognitive impact, clinical significance and strategies for preventing strokes and silent strokes in children. He has been the leader of multiple clinical trials treating and preventing strokes in children with sickle cell disease in North America, Europe and Africa.
DeBaun has a strong connection to Maryville University. His mother, Everlouis Rutledge DeBaun, was Maryville’s first African American graduate in 1958. She served as a longtime teacher in St. Louis Public Schools. In lasting tribute, the DeBaun family supports the Everlouis Rutledge DeBaun Endowed Scholarship at Maryville, established by the Class of 1958 in her memory.
Flint W. Fowler, PhD
Fowler serves as President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL), which provides after-school, teen, sports and summer programs to youth in the St. Louis area while also providing a safe place for children to learn and grow. BGCSTL serves youth across St. Louis City and County at seven locations, a dropout prevention program in two high schools and through its Mentor St. Louis and St. Louis Internship programs.
Fowler has received numerous awards for his contributions to the St. Louis community including the Thomas G. Garth Character & Courage Award from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Fowler serves on boards for The BackStoppers, Gateway Arch Park Foundation, the St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation, the St. Louis Sports Commission and the Greater St. Louis Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.
BGCSTL has been a longtime partner of Maryville, and the University introduced its successful life coaching model into the K-12 space through its work with the organization. BGCSTL members and staff train with Maryville life coaches on learning diagnostics and personalized learning strategies and are introduced to careers in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Additionally, BGCSTL members learn to flourish in the areas of technology and STEM through college immersion programs and on-campus and club-site experiences like robotics.
Thank you to the St. Louis American for your coverage of this good news!
Photo courtesy of the St. Louis American