 |
Catching up on the past 15 years are physical therapy class of 1993 members Cindy Dennis, Jake Wear, Natalie Harms and Barb Leymaster. |
 |
Enjoying the alumni reception are pharmacy Class of 1968 alumni, Arlan Stutheit, Fran Moore, Dan Hughes, and his wife, Patty Hughes. |
 |
Celebrating their 65th reunion from UNMC are, front row from left: Helen and Austin Mutz, M.D., Clyde Kleager, M.D. and Muriel Frank, M.D.; second row from left: Harry McFadden, M.D, Thordis Kleager, G.N.D., Louis Gilbert, M.D., and Jo McFadden. |
“It was a great turnout,” said Kim Cuda, director of alumni relations. “We’ve already received lots of calls and e-mails from people who came. They were very happy with the weekend and really enjoyed themselves.”
For the first time, many of the alumni events took place in the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education.
“The Sorrell Center is a wonderful facility,” Cuda said. “I know it made many of our alums proud to see it. It definitely shows that UNMC is making great strides in becoming a world-class institution.”
For the second straight year, the reunion brought together alums from four different UNMC academic units — the colleges of medicine, nursing and pharmacy and the School of Allied Health Professions.
Prior to 2007, each unit held its own separate reunion.
This year’s alumni reunion honored the classes of 1943, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003 and those who graduated more than 50 years ago.
On Sept. 19, alums received a tour of the Sorrell Center and the entire UNMC campus.
This was followed by a luncheon in the Truhlsen Campus Events Center featuring presentations from the four deans of the academic units involved in the reunion — Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., College of Nursing; John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., College of Medicine; Courtney Fletcher, Pharm.D., College of Pharmacy; and Kyle Meyer, Ph.D., School of Allied Health Professions — as well as Bob Bartee, vice chancellor for external affairs, who represented the chancellor’s office.
In welcoming the alumni, Bartee said, “This weekend is about you. We want to honor you for choosing early in your life … to soothe, comfort and heal others.”
Each of the deans shared a brief overview of their unit. Here are some of the high points shared with alumni:
- Dr. Gollan praised the Sorrell Center for being “a transforming building.” He said the building has made the College of Medicine No. 1 in the country in terms of technology;
- Dr. Meyer invited attendees to come over and tour Bennett Hall, the new home for the School of Allied Health Professions, which was renovated over the past year using $8.9 million in state funds;
- Dr. Fletcher noted that 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of pharmacy education in Nebraska;
- With baby boomers nearing retirement, Dr. Tilden detailed the impending shortage of nurses that Nebraska faces. The state will have a deficit of 4,000 nurses by 2020, she said, so the College of Nursing is hoping to address this shortage by expanding its Omaha campus and by opening a campus in Norfolk within the next two years.
An early evening reception was held for all attendees in the Truhlsen Campus Events Center on Sept. 19 followed by reunion parties and dinners for the honor classes at a variety of locations around town. Several of the honor classes presented class gifts to their alumni associations at the reception. These gifts included:
- $220,000 by the College of Medicine Class of 1958;
- $243,000 by the College of Medicine Class of 1983;
- $16,350 by the College of Pharmacy Class of 1968; and
- $15,263 by the College of Nursing Class of 1968.
In addition, the physical therapy Class of 1988 also made a gift for an undisclosed amount.
On Sept. 20, Omaha attorney Nick Taylor kicked off the day with a presentation on philanthropic tax advantages. This was followed by a trolley tour of Omaha. In addition, UNMC alumni received free admission at the Joslyn Art Museum and the Durham Museum, and the College of Nursing History Museum was open both days for tours.
The evening culminated with the UNMC Alumni Celebration & Awards Dinner at the Holiday Inn Central, 3321 S. 72nd St. Festivities included a video of alumni reminiscences, a tribute to alumni award recipients and a special recognition of Half Century Club members (those graduating 50 or more years ago).
“You could really feel an electric atmosphere in the crowd this year at the awards dinner,” Cuda said. “The video reminiscences were really well received. Some of them were quite funny, and it was obvious that the crowd was really getting into them.”
The alumni presidents at the time of this year’s alumni weekend and the year they graduated were:
- College of Medicine – James Reilly, M.D., 1985;
- College of Nursing – Joyce Black, M.S.N., 1981, Ph.D., 1999;
- College of Pharmacy – Staci Hubert, Pharm.D., 1994;
- Physical Therapy – Nicholas Reiss, D.P.T., 2000 and 2005; and
- Physician Assistant – John Barta, 1976.