Two teams — Varney Express from the pathology and microbiology department and Toews’ Travellers from the pharmacology and experimental neuroscience department — recently had all their members complete the UNMC 1 Million Step Challenge.
The Varney Express team is composed of researcher Michelle Varney, graduate student Kalyaan Nannuru, associate professor of pathology/microbiology Reekesh Singh, Ph.D., and post doctoral research associate Seema Singh, Ph.D.
Toews’ Travellers are professor of pharmacology and experimental neuroscience Myron Toews, Ph.D., graduate research assistant Puttappa Dodmane, research technologist Amy Lussetto, and researchers Karen Kassel, Ph.D., and Nancy Schulte.
“The team aspect has been one of the most enjoyable parts of the challenge,” said Jayme Nekuda of the Center for Healthy Living. “From coming up with catchy team names to devising interesting motivation schemes to get teammates walking, our employees really showed creativity and spirit. I congratulate these two teams in finding ways to get their teams to 1 million steps.”
Toews Travelers lived up to their name during the challenge with members of the team logging steps in San Francisco and Tokyo (Kassel), Italy (Lussetto) and in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (Dr. Toews and Puttappa).
Both teams will be treated to a pizza party to recognize their accomplishments, Nekuda said.
The following is a list of UNMC employees who have recently reached one of the 250,000-step markers in the 1 Million Step Challenge. Send an e-mail to today@unmc.edu with your name, department and tell us what step milestone you reached and we’ll post it on the list.
500,000 steps
- Rita Anne Haverman, orthopaedic surgery
1 million steps
- Geri Cohrs, mail services
- Gail Hackendahl, physical therapy education
- Patricia Hoffman, information technology services
- Michelle Parks, College of Pharmacy Dean’s Office
- Maureen Oberdorfer, office of regulatory affairs
- Mary Jo Ramirez, College of Pharmacy
- Patricia Tolliver, oral and maxillofacial surgery