January 9, 2009

Diversity advocate Hare mourned

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inda P. Hare, Ed.D.

Linda P. Hare, Ed.D., a strong supporter of increasing the diversity of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, died Jan. 5.

Hare, wife of George Hill, Ph.D., associate dean for Diversity in Medical Education, was active in recruiting medical and graduate students to the institution as well as encouraging potential residents and faculty to join the School of Medicine.

During the past six years Hare made countless trips to institutions and scientific meetings speaking strongly of the excellence of VUSM programs and highlighting the school's strengths in medical and biomedical science education. She also played a key role in the organization of activities on campus to highlight and support diversity initiatives.

Hare served as the vice president for Development and University Relations for Middle Tennessee State University from 1995 to 2002 and was vice president for Institutional Advancement at Meharry Medical College from 1992 to 1995.

Hare was active in the Nashville community, serving on the boards of Leadership Nashville, Cumberland Museum, Coalition of 100 Black Women-Metropolitan Nashville Chapter, Friends of Metro General, the Hendersonville Chapter of the LINKS Inc. and the PBS Community Advisory Board.

A native Nashvillian, Hare received her Ed.D. from Tennessee State University and participated in the Harvard Leadership Program. She is survived by Hill, her children, Nicole, Brian, Yvette and Kevin, and four grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Friendship Baptist Church, 1109 32nd Avenue North, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 11, with visitation at 2 p.m. There will also be visitation with family on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lewis and Wright, 2500 Clarksville Highway, Nashville.

The Linda P. Hare Scholarship Fund, through the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, has been established in her honor to support underrepresented graduate and medical students at Meharry and Vanderbilt.

For information about the scholarship, please contact James Lawson, executive director, Alliance Foundation, 1900 Church Street, Suite 511, Nashville, TN 37203, 936-6070.