Washington University School of Medicine Oral Histories
Robert Lee Oral History
Interviewer
Edwin W. McCleskey Ph.D. and William M. Geideman
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Summary
Robert Lee was interviewed by Edwin W. McCleskey and William M. Geidement on June 12, 1990, for approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes. Lee discusses his work as Assistant Dean for Minority Student Affairs at Washington University School of Medicine and his efforts to increase recruitment, admission, and retention of Black students and students from other minority groups.
Scope and Content
Robert Lee discusses his work as Assistant Dean for Minority Student Affairs at Washington University School of Medicine and his efforts to increase recruitment, admission, and retention of Black students and students from other minority groups.
Lee begins by discussing how he came to work at Washington University and his early years as the Coordinator for Minority Student Affairs. He discusses changes in how the School of Medicine recruited students from minority groups and supported students who enrolled, and how he worked to build credibility for the programs he implemented.
Lee then relates how Black faculty and students were historically obstructed from joining the school, and how segregation affected patient care and treatment at Barnes Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. He addresses how health care for the Black community has changed since the closure of Homer G. Phillips Hospital.
Next, Lee discusses local and national recruitment strategies and the relationships he and his department have built with historically Black colleges and universities as well as predominantly white institutions. He addresses how tuition plays a role in attracting students from underrepresented minority groups and what strategies they have taken to create scholarship programs. He explains that John Schultz, John Herweg, John Walters, Howard Phillip Venable, and John Anderson played a significant role in recruiting Black students before he was hired.
Lastly, he addresses preconceptions about Washington University and how he talks to prospective students about its status as a predominantly white institution. He also explains his process for connecting with Black applicants.
Biographical Information: Interviewee
Robert Lee was born in St. Louis in 1944. He attended Central High School and then received his degree from Harris Teachers’ College in 1966. After working for four years in the St. Louis Public Schools, he became Assistant Director of Admissions at Illinois State University. Lee became the first Assistant Dean for Minority Student Affairs at the Washington University School of Medicine in 1972, a position he held for 22 years.
He received a Ph.D. in Psychology from St. Louis University in 1979. He joined the faculty of Emory University School of Medicine as Associate Dean and Director of Multicultural Medical Student Affairs in 1994.
Biographical Information: Interviewer
Edwin W. McCleskey, Ph.D. was an assistant professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology at Washington University School of Medicine from 1986 to 1993. His research addressed the biophysical properties of calcium-selective ion channels and the discovery of ion channels that trigger different types of pain. He also taught physiology and neuroscience.
William M. Geideman is an orthopedic surgeon who graduated from Washington University School of Medicine in 1993. He completed his internship and orthopedic residency training at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Interview Date
1990-06-12
Collection Identifier
OH108 (PC054-S10)
Length
Approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Restrictions
Users wishing to publish (in whole, or in part) content taken from the audio or transcript of this oral history interview must request, sign, and return a Statement of Use form to the Becker Archives. For detailed information regarding publication and use of this oral history, contact the Becker Archives (arb@wusm.wustl.edu).
Recommended Citation
Robert Lee Oral History, OH108 (PC054-S10), Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives, Washington University in St. Louis.
Disclaimer
The Becker Archives provides access to this oral history interview as a record of the past. This interview reflects the attitudes, perspectives, and beliefs of the interview participants, which may reflect outdated, biased, and offensive views and opinions. The Becker Archives does not endorse the views expressed in this interview, which may contain materials offensive to some users.
