David E. Rivers, a professor in MUSC Tutorial Affairs School and director of the Public Data and Community Outreach Initiative (PICO) application in the MUSC Libraries, died at his residence on Feb. 4.
A U.S. Army veteran who grew up in Charleston, Rivers joined MUSC’s faculty in 1995, serving in various capacities that centered on marketing partnerships in between tutorial institutions, federal government agencies, elected officials, enterprise business, religion-centered teams and neighborhood activists to make more healthy communities.
He was co–principal investigator (PI) of the EXPORT Center on Metabolic Syndrome in Minority Well being, a collaboration concerning MUSC and South Carolina State University, a plan to foster partnerships in between bulk- and minority–serving establishments.
Sabra Slaughter, Ph.D., interim director of the MUSC Centre for Health Disparities Investigate and co–PI of the EXPORT Heart, was a longtime colleague, collaborator and fellow overall health care disparities advocate.
“At MUSC, David was devoted to broadening obtain to overall health treatment to all the citizens of South Carolina, primarily the underserved. He utilized his phenomenal group firm, coverage creating and networking capabilities to reach this objective. David was both an esteemed colleague and, additional importantly, a mate. His creative management was basic to the achievements of the center’s programs,” explained Slaughter.
Rivers directed the EXPORT Center’s Outreach software that coordinated the creation of the educational video clip package, “Our Health and fitness Courses,” in collaboration with South Carolina Condition University and South Carolina Instruction Television. That collection attained additional than 25,000 homes in the course of the state, Georgia and North Carolina.
Less than Rivers’ management, the PICO Initiative done nationwide neighborhood chief institutes to tackle the effect of health and fitness disparities and environmental justice problems in small-income ethnic-minority communities and other underserved populations.
The success of the institutes garnered statewide, regional and countrywide focus by way of South Carolina Schooling Tv. In recognition for his function on weather alter and its impacts throughout the United States, Rivers been given a Bronze Telly Award for maximum viewership of a televised application made by Instructional Television.
Rivers led, for nearly two many years, the organizing and execution of the Countrywide Conference on Wellness Disparities, which offered a countrywide dialogue to share progress in setting up balanced communities. The conference explored social determinants of wellbeing, like the impacts of environmental justice, poverty, educational attainment, housing high-quality, community safety, as properly as mental overall health, compound use and human trafficking, as public wellness troubles.
Prior to joining MUSC, Rivers held leadership positions with the City of Atlanta authorities, Ga State University, the U.S. Section of Health and fitness and Human Providers, the U.S. Division of Electrical power and the Office of Human Services in the District of Columbia.
He was board chairman of the Nationwide City Fellows and also chairman of the James E. Clyburn Analysis and Scholarship Foundation. He also served on the boards of a number of community boards in Charleston, South Carolina, and California.
Rivers earned undergraduate and graduate levels in city affairs, political science and general public administration at Georgia Point out University. He was a graduate of the Countrywide City Fellows Application in Community Administration at Yale College and the Riley Institute Diversity Management Application at Furman College. He was a charter member of Ga State University’s 1st black Greek firm, Alpha Phi Alpha.
Remembrances for David E. Rivers:
“At MUSC, David Rivers was devoted to broadening obtain to wellbeing treatment to all the citizens of South Carolina, in particular the underserved. Not long ago, I participated in a Zoom connect with with a group of David’s loving admirers from across the region. We were requested at the close of the connect with to share just one phrase to describe him. I selected the phrase “real.” David realized himself and was at ease in his personal pores and skin. He acted according to his values. He was legitimate to himself and other individuals.”
—Sabra C. Slaughter, Ph.D.
MUSC Center for Wellness Disparities Analysis
“I labored together with Dr. David E. Rivers for 12 yrs as effectively as being a mentee under his leadership. As a mentor, he was rough but understanding. He was a master at determining strengths in people
that worked with him, and he dependable you to operate in that house with his highest expectation. In the times he pushed you to larger greatness, he would generally include a teachable lesson. A person of the classes I cherish understanding is his principle of the 4C’s (Communication, Coordination, Cooperation and Collaboration). He credited this basic principle back to his time used under the late and wonderful Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson. This is a large loss, and he (Dr. Rivers) will be skipped, but so quite a few of us will keep on to carry his legacy and lessons with us eternally.”
—Monique Hill
MUSC Libraries
“Dr. Rivers led the National Conference on Wellness Disparities (NCHD), which was initiated by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn and previous U.S. Rep. Donna Christensen. He was a passionate supporter of education actions for learners. By means of the funding aid delivered by Dr. Rivers, the NCHD Student Investigate Discussion board focuses on maximizing high–quality biomedical investigate, investigate presentation potential and profession advancement education for undergraduate and graduate experienced college students. Concerning 2011 and 2018, 407 students from 29 U.S. states, as perfectly as the U.K. and Germany, participated in the NCHD University student Research Discussion board, which had a significant influence on the profession paths of numerous contributors. Dr. Rivers planted seeds of occupation progress in students all over the nation and internationally, and the seeds will proceed to sprout and bear fruit for many decades to occur.”
—Marvella E. Ford, Ph.D.
Populace Sciences and Most cancers Disparities and Place of work of Community Outreach and Engagement
MUSC Hollings Most cancers Centre
“I do not know of a further college member at MUSC who contributed in the vary of approaches that Professor David Rivers did to the training of the community and tutorial communities, as effectively as to the education and learning of pupils at just about every level and from diverse backgrounds … before they at any time arrived to MUSC, when they got here and right after they were being graduated. He also made use of his posture on the Educational Affairs School to aid men and women who are not well-represented amongst us. That is a great testomony to spending it forward, sideways and “past,” as our mission encourages.”
—Tom G. Smith, Ph.D.
MUSC Educational Affairs College
“In the 18 several years I labored together with Dr. David E. Rivers with MUSC’s General public Details and Group Outreach Initiative, I observed Dr. Rivers’ transformational management design, his skill to go the needle in reducing well being disparities in the underserved communities, by way of the large number of nationwide conferences on wellbeing disparities, community leaders institutes and specialized guidance workshops, “Our Health” documentaries, and his organization acumen ended up next to none. He was one of a kind, and we are fully commited to continuing his legacy.”
—Latecia M. Abraham-Hilaire, DHA
Public Details and Neighborhood Outreach
“David was a remarkable colleague — honest in his objective and fully commited to resolving challenges that impacted lives across varied communities. His vision and assist were instrumental to MUSC’s long–standing and effective partnership with South Carolina Academic Tv. He introduced a lot to this campus. He will be skipped.”
—Rich Jablonski
MUSC PICO