As fans of the College World Series know, all roads lead to Omaha.
For University of Nebraska Medical Center alums, the same adage applies. Omaha is the place to be on Oct. 2-3, as the annual UNMC Alumni Reunion will take place in Nebraska’s largest city.
"We want alumni to circle the date and lock it on their calendars," said Roxanna Jokela, director of alumni relations. "It’s a bye week for the Huskers, so it’s a perfect opportunity to get together with old friends and turn back the clock."
Like last year, many of the activities at this year’s alumni weekend will take place at the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education. One major change for this year, Jokela said, will be a new site for the Alumni Celebration and Awards Dinner at the Embassy Suites Downtown, 555 S. 10th St. in the Old Market.
The reunion will bring together alums from five different UNMC academic units — the colleges of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health and the School of Allied Health Professions.
This marks the first reunion ever for graduates of the College of Public Health.
"The theme says it all — ‘One Class, World Class,’" she said. "We’re proud of all the great things happening at UNMC. The medical center has transformed into a very special place, and it is thanks in large measure to the fantastic support of our alumni.
"Health care is so multidisciplinary these days. It’s only fitting that we bring all our alumni back at the same time, so they can see all their friends in every discipline."
This year’s alumni reunion will honor the classes of 1944, 1949, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004 and those who graduated more than 50 years ago.
"The class coordinators are the key to a successful reunion," she said. "They can be very influential in getting fellow classmates to turn out.
"The Alumni Relations Office is pleased to sponsor this annual event, and we are grateful to the University of Nebraska Foundation for its support."
For more information or to register for the reunion, go to www.unmc.edu/alumni. Hotel reservations can be made by calling the Embassy Suites at 402-346-9000 (or toll-free at 800-362-2779). People who reserve rooms before Sept. 15 will receive the special UNMC alumni rate of $129 per night.
A schedule of alumni weekend events is listed below.
Friday, Oct. 2
10 a.m. — Alums will receive a guided walking/shuttle tour of the campus, including the Sorrell Center and the new Durham Research Center II. A luncheon will follow in the Truhlsen Campus Events Center that features presentations from the five deans of the academic units involved in the reunion.
2:15 to 4:30 p.m. — The College of Nursing History Museum will be open for tours
Friday’s activities will include alumni association annual meetings and a variety of presentations that highlight UNMC. Reunion parties and dinners for the honor classes will be held at various locations throughout Omaha.
Saturday, Oct. 3
8:30 to 10 a.m. — Attorney Nick Taylor will discuss philanthropic tax advantages in a presentation for alumni at the Embassy Suites. This will be followed by a trolley tour of Omaha, including the Old Market and the Riverfront.
10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. — UNMC alumni can enjoy free admission on Saturday at the Joslyn Art Museum and the Durham Museum.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — A continuing education program for College of Pharmacy preceptors will be presented.
5:30 p.m. — Alumni weekend activities will culminate with the UNMC Alumni Celebration and Awards Dinner at the Embassy Suites starting with a reception at 5:30. Festivities at this event will include: a video of alumni reminiscences; a tribute to alumni award recipients; anda special recognition of Half Century Club members (those graduating 50 or more years ago).
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through their commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology and ophthalmology. UNMC’s research funding from external sources now exceeds $82 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 2,600 highly skilled jobs in the state. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 513 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.
Alumni award nominations sought
Nominations are now being accepted for the various alumni awards that will be presented in conjunction with the UNMC Alumni Reunion on Oct. 2-3. The nomination deadline is August 15.
The awards are presented by the various UNMC alumni associations and are the highest honors the alumni associations bestow upon graduates and friends of UNMC and their respective colleges.
To nominate a candidate for any of the alumni awards, a completed nomination form must be submitted, along with two letters of recommendation.
The nominations should be sent to:
UNMC Alumni Relations Office
985200 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-5200
985200 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-5200
For more information about the awards or for a listing of past recipients, visit www.unmc.edu/alumni or call the UNMC Alumni Relations Office at (402) 559-4385 or toll-free at (888) 725-8664.
The eight alumni awards include:
· Distinguished Medical Alumnus Award
· Early Career Achievement in Medicine Award
· Honorary Medical Alumnus Award
· Distinguished Nursing Alumnus Award
· Nursing Excellence Award
· Distinguished Pharmacy Alumnus Award
· Early Career Achievement in Pharmacy Award
· Distinguished Physical Therapy Alumnus Award
A complete description of each of these awards is available online.
Alumni association presidents
Current alumni presidents and the year they graduated are:
- College of Medicine — James Reilly, M.D., 1985;
- College of Nursing — Becky Keating-Lefler, A.S.N., 1986, B.S.N., 1987, M.S.N., 1992, Ph.D., 2001;
- College of Pharmacy — John Ridgway, B.S.P., 1971;
- Physical Therapy — Nicholas Reiss, D.P.T., 2000 and 2005; and
- Physician Assistant — John Barta, 1976.