[robk1982]

http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/news...aspx?id=330916

MSU medical school talk has Flint buzzing
By Dave Kinchen
Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 12:29 a.m.

News of MSU’s College of Human Medicine likely expanding into Flint has the city talking about a possible upgrade in college town status.

“I just think by having 150 students who feel a connection, especially to Downtown Flint, that can really help make that next step in terms of Flint as a college town environment,” said Hurley Medical Center President and CEO Patrick Wardell.

In a story NBC25 broke right here on ConnectMidMichigan.com last week, Wardell said MSU is interested in building a medical campus in Downtown Flint.

The medical partnership would connect 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students to Hurley, Genesys Health System, and McLaren Health Care with a focus on epidemiology, international medicine and other fields.

“I think it’s going to add to the intellectual atmosphere. I think it will be able to attract students through our local universities who can be in a pipeline to MSU,” Wardell said.

This would be the latest move in connecting college students to the other academic institutions in Flint and Genesee County, with an ideal location in mind.

“Clearly Downtown Flint is the logical physical center of a college town environment, with the new restaurants opening, and new development opening up, much of that is predicated on the idea that there will be a student population,” said Michael Kelly, spokesperson for Mott Community College.

The Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce reports about 27,000 college students are in Flint. Of that, only about 4,000 are from outside of the city or region. One such student is U-M Flint International Business Junior Sonja Schnecker. She told NBC25 Flint is doing something right.

“When I first came here, I stayed on campus and I shortly realized it’s ok to walk around town. There are always things going on, like art festivals. You can go around here at night to the different clubs and pubs. This is a beautiful, beautiful place to be.”

Meanwhile, talks are still ongoing with the MSU medical school initiative. Wardell said the group involved in the project are looking to roll out the plan by 2011. Wardell did stress that the partnership would not receive funding from Hurley’s millage request, if passed by voters on August 4 .