President's Message
I am honored to serve as the WVU School of Medicine Alumni Association President this year, during which time I will continue to work with the best alumni team imaginable. Having been born at Ruby Memorial Hospital and raised in Morgantown, the WVU School of Medicine has always been an important institution in my life. When I was considering where to attend medical school, WVU was an easy choice, particularly when a combined MD/PhD program was offered.
My introduction to the alumni team occurred the first day of orientation, where we were all welcomed to the WVU family with open arms, provided with WVU School of Medicine ‘swag’, and given traditional West Virginia pepperoni rolls (oh how I miss them!!!) as well as shiny new stethoscopes. At that time, first year medical students participated in a week-long orientation at Jackson’s Mill prior to the first day of school. We were introduced to many new activities representative of the state I love: mastering the art of tying wooly buggers, shooting a rifle (I surprisingly won the ‘Annie Oakley’ award despite having never held a gun before in my life), and square dancing! There was no better way to create bonds with our new classmates, many of whom became lifelong friends.
While at WVU, I met my soulmate and eventual husband Walter “Quincy” Samora, and for this, I will forever be indebted to my alma mater! Throughout the years, the alumni team provided white coats during our white coat ceremony, WVU baseball caps and T-shirts during football tailgate gatherings, and hosted beautiful match day and graduation celebrations. Even more consequential, the WVU School of Medicine alumni foundation awarded Quincy a generous scholarship during his fourth year. This was a critical and life-changing moment, as by this time, he had accumulated thousands of dollars of debt from both his undergraduate education and the first three years of medical school. We decided upon our graduation to become lifelong members of the alumni association, so that we could help and support the next generation of doctors the way we had been so generously supported.
As fellow alumni, we all have positive memories of our time as medical students. Not surprisingly, many of these fond memories stemmed from the people, who were warm, welcoming, encouraging, and supportive. Personally, Norm Ferrari and Anne Cather will forever hold a place in my heart; they always had smiles on their faces, were fierce advocates for students, and aimed to make the challenges of medical school as surmountable as possible.
As we are now in our as careers as physicians, we have the opportunity to give back to the future generation by joining the School of Medicine Alumni Association (of note, a free T-shirt will be provided with a purchased membership this year). Every contribution helps the alumni office to continue their support of young doctors in training, whether it be through the provision of a white coat or a full tuition scholarship.
West Virginia is truly “Almost Heaven,” and we all can help support and encourage the next generation take joy in those familiar words of John Denver:
“Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads”
Thank you for allowing me to serve as your incoming WVU School of Medicine Alumni Association President. I am eager to contribute to the continued successes and team efforts, and give back to my favorite alma mater!
Go ‘eers!!
Julie Balch Samora, Class of 2009