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The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s bicentennial celebration is officially underway! We kicked off our bicentennial activities on November 29th with a press conference in Davidge Hall. As a counterpoint to the alumni presence, students (our future alumni!) in each of the four years were in the audience as VIP special guests. The press conference was followed by a birthday party on the Davidge lawn for the entire University of Maryland community. It was a memorable day and a wonderful way to create energy and excitement for this once-in-a-lifetime event.
The anniversary year is a collaborative effort on the part of the faculty, students, staff, alumni and our partner institutions—the University of Maryland, the University of Maryland Medical Center and the University of Maryland Medical System. The theme for the bicentennial is The Enduring Power of Leadership, and under that rubric we will present academic programs and celebrations throughout 2007. We have an impressive line-up of activities and events planned with some truly stellar speakers, as you will see in this issue of your magazine. We are still in the planning stages for a few of our events. I will report back to you on new developments and updates in future issues of the Bulletin.
Alumni have been integral to our bicentennial preparations since former Dean Donald E. Wilson announced two years ago that the school would celebrate its history and its place in the modern global community with a year-long celebration. Among the 20 members of our special bicentennial honorary committee are alumni Alice Heisler ’63, Frederick W. Plugge, IV ’57, and Melvin Sharoky ’76. This important committee is made up of elected officials, corporate leaders, alumni, and special friends of the school. In addition, Dr. Heisler is a member of the bicentennial advisory committee, a work group of 50 representatives who contribute to the success of the school and counsel the office of public affairs on anniversary preparations. Other advisory committee members include faculty leaders, students, and board of visitors representatives.
A companion activity to our special bicentennial events is The Bicentennial Campaign for the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The seven-year campaign was launched in 2002 with a plan to raise $1 million for each of our 200 years. Therefore, by 2009, we hoped to raise $200 million. We are on pace to reach our goal by the end of 2007, nearly 18 months ahead of schedule.
The School of Medicine received more than $1.4 million in gifts and pledges from more than 2,400 alumni in the last fiscal year. During The Bicentennial Campaign for the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the school has received more than 10,000 gifts from alumni totaling close to $11 million. This is a remarkable display of support from our graduates, and I thank each and every one of you for your generosity. I am pleased to see that our alumni remain engaged with the medical school and are eager to help me place this institution among the most elite top-tier medical schools.
As we celebrate our 200th anniversary and conclude The Bicentennial Campaign for the University of Maryland School of Medicine, I look forward to many initiatives on the horizon, including construction of Health Sciences Facility III. This is imperative in order to recruit and retain world-class researchers. I fervently hope that the medical school can continue to count upon the outstanding support of its alumni.
The leadership, guidance and philanthropic support of our graduates will be critical as we continue to identify areas for strategic growth and enhance existing and launch new programs of excellence.
I look forward to seeing you at one of our many bicentennial events. For more information on the bicentennial, please visit our Website at http://sombicentennial.umaryland.edu or call 410.706.2007. Of course you can always contact the alumni office for additional information.