Full slate of activities on tap for School of Medicine Alumni Weekend
Celebrations, connections and camaraderie are at the heart of the upcoming West Virginia University School of Medicine Alumni Weekend taking place Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29 as part of the University’s Homecoming celebration.
From celebrating innovation and discovery to cheering on the Mountaineer football team, alumni can reconnect with classmates, family and current generations of WVU students.
William A. Neal Museum Dedication
The full slate of events kicks off Friday, Oct. 28 from 2 - 4 p.m. in the Health Sciences Center Pylons Commons as WVU Libraries and WVU Heath Sciences will hold a dedication ceremony to celebrate the William A. Neal Museum of the Health Sciences.
The museum highlights West Virginia’s groundbreaking innovations and discoveries, chronicling breakthroughs from the frontier days in West Virginia to WVU’s modern advancements. The dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting will honor the late Dr. William A. Neal and his efforts in the creation and development of the museum in collaboration with the West Virginia and Regional History Center.
M.D. Alumni Banquet to honor 2022 Distinguished Alumnus
The Friday festivities continue to downtown Morgantown on High Street at 6 p.m. to catch the WVU Homecoming Parade.
Following the parade, the M.D. Alumni Banquet begins with a faculty-alumni mixer at the Historic Hotel Morgan at 7 p.m. and is followed by the formal banquet.
At the banquet, the Distinguished Alumnus Award will be presented to this year’s recipient, Patrice Harris, M.D., MA, the 174th President of the American Medical Association and the first African American woman elected to that position.
A native of Bluefield, West Virginia, Dr. Harris dreamt of entering medicine at a time when few women of color were encouraged to become physicians. Dr. Harris spent her formative years at WVU, earning a B.A. in psychology, an M.A. in counseling psychology and, ultimately, a M.D. as part of the class of 1992. She is a current member of the WVU Board of Governors.
It was during this time that her passion for helping children emerged, and she completed her psychiatry residency and fellowships in child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry at the Emory University School of Medicine. She also served as the senior policy fellow at the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at the Emory University School of Law.
A recognized expert in children’s mental health and childhood trauma, Dr. Harris has led efforts on both local and national levels to integrate public health and behavioral health into overall healthcare and addressing the health inequities and the social determinants of health.
Graduates of the “two-year medical school” and the classes of 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017 will also celebrate their reunions.
School of Medicine M.D. Tailgate and Football Game
On Saturday, Oct. 29, the School of Medicine M.D. Tailgate will start at 9 a.m. at the Erickson Alumni Center near the stadium before the WVU Mountaineers play the TCU Horned Frogs at Milan Puskar Stadium at noon. It’s an opportunity for alumni to mingle with current students, faculty and guests to get ready to cheer on the Mountaineers.
For those who wish to stay close to downtown Morgantown, the School of Medicine Alumni Association will have a viewing party at Hotel Morgan. A post-game buffet will kick off at 6 p.m. that evening to conclude the weekend.
Pre-registration was required for the alumni and tailgate events.
For more information about the weekend, visit medicine.wvu.edu/alumni/about/alumni-weekend.