Nancy Snyderman, M.D., remembers Nebraska as the state with a medical school that took a chance on a girl from Indiana — “a good student, not a great student” — and helped her turn into a successful surgeon and, later, an award-winning television correspondent.
And she’s proud of how that state, and her alma mater, showed leadership during the Ebola crisis.
Dr. Snyderman returned to UNMC last week to speak to the future leaders of tomorrow as part of a Leadership Summit planned and executed by the Student Senate.
See Dr. Snyderman’s complete presentation here.
“The UNMC Student Senate was delighted Dr. Snyderman was able to return to her alma mater and take part in our leadership-focused event,” said Krupa Savalia, Ph.D., Student Senate president. “Our inaugural Leadership Summit was a huge success with over 200 guests in attendance!”
During her two-day visit to UNMC, Dr. Snyderman, who graduated from the College of Medicine in 1977, toured the Biocontainment Unit, gave a Grand Rounds presentation, met with campus leaders and researchers and gave the keynote address at the leadership summit.
Thursday night, she spoke before a crowd of UNMC students on the subject of leadership.
“Leadership comes slowly, in layers,” she told the group, adding that her M.D. had given her a passport to be invited into people’s lives to make them better.
Dr. Snyderman spoke of her father, “a great doctor,” and detailed his early struggles against polio, comparing them to her experiences as a young surgeon in San Francisco during the early days of the AIDS era.
She also spoke of UNMC’s leadership in the recent Ebola crisis.
“Your university did what other places would not have been able, or not willing, to do,” she said. “That’s what leadership looks like.”
Dr. Savalia called Dr. Snyderman’s keynote address powerful and inspirational.
“She presented content that was applicable to all of the student programs on campus,” Dr. Savalia said. “The Student Senate has received several emails from students after the event expressing their appreciation for this meaningful and motivational evening.”
“We are so grateful to Dr. Snyderman for her leadership and willingness to inspire the students at her alma mater,” said Alicia Schiller, Student Senate vice president.