Alumni

The new look of reunion – homecoming

By Camille Webb

When most people think of a homecoming, memories of football games, tailgating parties, and sporting school colors come to mind. But, homecoming is also a time to reconnect with old classmates and remember the good times of years spent in school. This year, the Medical School's Alumni Association tried something new by coupling the annual Alumni Reunion with Homecoming – a first at the school, which took place April 22.

In addition to alumni representing the classes of 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, and 1996, alumni from all graduation classes were invited to participate in the mid-April festivities.

"We think it's a great way to bring everybody back on campus, and we thought it would be fun," says Resa Ott, associate director of alumni relations.

Ott says one reason to add Homecoming to this year's Reunion festivities was to give alumni an opportunity to see newly renovated facilities at the school. "We were trying to enrich their reunion experience by adding components to the weekend and give people more reasons to come back," she says, adding that the idea for Homecoming was modeled after a similar alumni event at Yale University School of Medicine.

Homecoming involved several events, beginning with a one-hour medical ethics lecture by Eugene Boisaubin, M.D., professor of internal medicine, titled "Texas Futility Policy: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly." Following Dr. Boisaubin's lecture, alumni took tours of the new Gross Anatomy Lab, Surgical and Clinical Skills Center, and Morgue.

The Alumni Association's Annual Meeting was another segment of Homecoming. James Willerson, M.D., president of the UT Health Science Center, gave a state of the Medical School address and presented the 2006 Distinguished Alumnus Award to J. Christopher Farmer, M.D., '82.

Accepting the 2006 Distinguished Alumnus Award, Dr. Farmer thanked his family in attendance as well as the Medical School.

Then Alumni Association Board President Alan Friedman, M.D., '86 provided an overview of the organization's accomplishments, and Ott presented a preview of new Web-based communications programs that will facilitate future communications along with database capabilities allowing alumni to update their profiles and communicate with the Medical School and their fellow alumni. Dr. Friedman noted the Alumni Association has been able to provide 21 student scholarships in the past year.

The unveiling of the newly installed Distinguished Alumnus Wall and lunch on Webber Plaza followed.

A dinner in the Texas Medical Center's Trevísio honored the classes of 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, and 1996 Saturday evening.

Planning is already under way for the next reunion and homecoming, which is set for April 21-22, 2007. Call 713.500.5084 for more information.