Check-ups and conversations: Inside the President’s Summer Tour

At Augusta University, Georgia is our campus. This summer, President Russell T. Keen traveled more than 675 miles across the state to listen, learn and see firsthand how AU students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners are improving lives and strengthening communities. Joining the president for the weeklong tour were First Lady Karen B. Keen, members of his leadership team and staff from the Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, Communications and Marketing, Government Relations and Corporate & Community Engagement for the weeklong tour. 

Five days. Eleven communities. More than 675 miles and 13 hours on Georgia roads. Eleven health care and clinical partner visits. Most importantly, more than 550 students, faculty, staff, alumni, community leaders and partners engaged along the way.

“Augusta University’s impact extends far beyond the boundaries of our campuses, and I believe one of the most important things we can do as leaders is get out, listen and learn from the people and communities we serve,” said Keen. “Over five days and hundreds of miles, we had the opportunity to spend time with students, faculty, staff, alumni, healthcare providers and community leaders across Georgia. Every conversation helped us better understand the opportunities and challenges facing our state and the responsibility Augusta University has to help address them.”

📍Athens

The President’s Summer Tour kicked off in Greensboro, Georgia, with the first of 25 stops at a federally qualified health center (FQHC) owned and operated by Medical College of Georgia alumnus David Ringer, MD. From there, the AU caravan traveled to Athens to host a lunch for a group of students from the AU/UGA Medical Partnership and the College of Nursing. They, along with MCG Dean David Hess, MD, and Beth NeSmith, PhD, dean of CON, engaged students in a relaxed setting for meaningful conversation about their education, future careers and lessons shaping their experience in Athens. A stop at MedLink Georgia in Colbert, Georgia, where CEO Dave Ward shared insights on rural healthcare, in addition to the visit to Oconee Valley Healthcare in Greensboro earlier in the day, highlighted the importance of community health partnerships. Jennie Wren Denmark, CEO of East Georgia Health Center, and Carla Belcher, CEO of Community Health Care Systems, joined the conversation at MedLink about the development of a family medicine residency at their FQHCs, which MCG leaders have been working to establish. Years of hard work have gone into building relationships with various FQHCs across Georgia to create such essential spaces for training.

📍Gainesville

The next morning in Gainesville, the Keens spent time at Syfan Logistics and Inland Port where they took a guided tour alongside University System of Georgia Regent Jim Syfan. Leaders spent time discussing economic development in the region and current and future community partnerships. This stop also provided an opportunity to thank the greater Gainesville community for the aid provided in the weeks after Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The contingent visited Good News Clinics to learn more about access to dental care and then had a little fun on the farm and afternoon refreshment at Jaemor Farms, complete with strawberry ice cream.

📍Marietta

In Marietta, Georgia, the tour began the third day at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, the site of regional campus MCG Atlanta. Students gathered with the Keens, Hess and Wellstar CEO Ketul J. Patel to talk about their medical school journeys, the success of the program and how the expansion of educational opportunities strengthens healthcare in Georgia overall. During an afternoon at the Cobb Chamber, the president met with the leadership team to learn more about the priorities, opportunities and challenges facing the region.

📍Rome

In Rome, on day four, the tour started at Atrium Health Floyd, a clinical partner for MCG’s Northwest Campus. The discussion time gave students the opportunity to share insights about their daily life attending medical school at the regional campus. The Keens saw firsthand what strong partnerships are doing to improve patient care and strengthen Georgia’s healthcare workforce. During a lunch at Atrium, Northwest Campus students and MCG alumni serving as volunteer faculty had a chance to connect with MCG leaders and speak candidly about their training in Rome.

A highlight of the afternoon was time spent at the Healthcare Explorers camp on the Floyd Campus of Georgia Highlands College. Local high school students spent part of their summer discovering a variety of healthcare careers through hands-on experience and interactive learning. Keen spoke to the students about pursuing careers in health sciences and Augusta University’s role in advancing the field across Georgia, as the state’s flagship health sciences university.

“Georgia is facing significant challenges in meeting the healthcare needs of a growing state, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Augusta University cannot solve those challenges alone, and we were reminded throughout this tour just how important strong partnerships are to improving access to care and preparing the next generation of physicians, nurses, dentists and other healthcare professionals. When students have opportunities to train in communities across Georgia, they build relationships, better understand the needs of the people they serve and are more likely to see a future for themselves in those communities.”

📍Dalton

The President’s Summer Tour wrapped up on day five in Dalton, beginning at the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce, discussing how MCG invests in Northwest Georgia and exploring opportunities for future partnerships to help train more physicians in the region. From there, the president and first lady met with leaders at Hamilton Medical Center (Vitruvian) and the Anna Shaw Children’s Institute, a one-of-a-kind facility for children with different abilities where medical students are training and serving the region every day while gaining invaluable hands-on experience. The Northwest region of Dalton and Rome is home to more than 200 volunteer faculty and 24 clinical training sites.

Each evening of the tour, the Keens gathered with AU alumni who live and work in the areas they were visiting that day for fellowship. To top off the tour, the group enjoyed an evening at the ballpark, cheering on the Rome Emperors.

“One of the greatest strengths of Augusta University is the incredible network of alumni who are living, working and serving in communities across Georgia and beyond. Karen and I truly enjoyed spending time with our alumni each evening, hearing their stories and learning about the impact they continue to make in their professions and communities,” said Keen, calling alumni some of AU’s greatest ambassadors. “I hope this tour reminded them that no matter where life takes them, they will always be an important part of the Augusta University family.”

The tour’s final stop brought the journey full circle in Conyers, where the Keens visited Mercy Health Center and saw another example of how AU partnerships are expanding access to care while preparing future health professionals to serve communities across Georgia.

“Each stop reinforced that Georgia truly is our campus and that Augusta University has both an opportunity and a responsibility to serve communities across our state,” Keen said. “We returned home grateful for the people who welcomed us, better informed about the challenges and opportunities facing Georgia, and even more committed to working alongside our partners to improve lives and prepare the next generation of life-changers and life-savers.”

See all photo highlights from the Summer Tour.