On September 19, 2017, there was a reception co-sponsored by The Department of Diversity and Inclusion, The Student National Medical Association Chapter of EVMS and The Greater Norfolk Medical Society of South Hampton Roads. The goal was to provide a venue conducive to socializing between established minority physicians and the minority medical students at EVMS. Notably, there was an increase in the number of minority students accepted into the first year for the class of 2021, including seven African American males.

Everybody enjoyed meeting the new students and we had new minority faculty members and practitioners in attendance as well.