Morehouse School of Medicine (Ga.) President and CEO Valerie Montgomery Rice (90MR, 91MR) will deliver the keynote address at Emory University’s 179th Commencement Ceremony on May 13, University President Gregory Fenves announced in a March 26 email to Emory students. She will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during the ceremony.
Montgomery Rice is the first female president of Morehouse’s medical school.
After graduating from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School (Mass.), Montgomery Rice completed her medical residency at the Emory School of Medicine, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. She went on to complete a fellowship in sexual endocrinology and infertility at Hutzel Women's Hospital in Detroit.
Montgomery Rice focuses on infertility research and advocates for healthcare equity. She previously served as director of the Center for Women’s Health Research at Meharry Medical College (Tenn.), which specializes in illnesses that disproportionately affect women of color.
“Dr. Montgomery Rice’s achievements as a groundbreaking physician-scientist and university leader are an inspiration to so many in our great city and beyond,” Fenves wrote in the email. “During her time as president and CEO, the Morehouse School of Medicine has flourished, solidifying its reputation as a powerhouse in the advancement of health equity.”
U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Montgomery Rice to the President's Committee on the National Medal of Science in 2022. The committee selects the yearly recipients of the medal, the nation’s highest award for scientists and engineers.
Activist and writer Anthony Ray Hinton, who was exonerated of a wrongful murder charge after serving 28 years on Alabama’s death row, gave the keynote address at last year’s ceremony. Previous speakers also include director, producer, actor and screenwriter Tyler Perry in 2022 and former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci in 2021.
Additionally, National Academy of Medicine President Victor Dzau will receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree and award-winning violinist Robert McDuffie will receive an honorary Doctor of Music degree.
Dzau specializes in the cardiovascular system and genetics. His work led to the development of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, which treat hypertension and heart failure. Dzau also developed gene therapy methods for the further treatment of vascular disease in humans. Additionally, he previously served as president and CEO of the Duke University (N.C.) Health System.
McDuffie won a Southeast Regional Emmy Award for a 2022 “A Night of Georgia Music” performance aired across the United States. He has previously performed with members of the bands R.E.M. and The Rolling Stones, in addition to appearing as a soloist with orchestras across five continents, according to the email.
James Cox Kennedy and Sarah Kenan Kennedy received honorary degrees last year. The couple is heavily involved in the University community, with James Kennedy acting as a major funding source for medical research, specifically on Alzheimer’s disease, at Emory. Sarah Kennedy serves on the Emory Brain Health Center Executive Advisory Council as a civic and community leader.
Montgomery Rice said in the email that it is a “great pleasure” to deliver the keynote address.
“It is my hope that the graduates will consider how to ensure their position at the table while making room for others to be heard and seen,” Montgomery Rice said. “I look forward to helping them transition into a moment of hope filled with opportunity, as they make plans to navigate their future endeavors.”
Correction (3/26/2024 at 4:15 p.m.): A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Valerie Montgomery Rice (90MR, 91MR) is the President and CEO of Morehouse College School of Medicine. In fact, the Morehouse School of Medicine is independent from Morehouse College.
