UNMC for the record

Gib Willett, Ph.D.

Gib Willett, Ph.D., was recently inducted as a distinguished alum in the Papillion-La Vista Schools Hall of Fame. The award recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers and through exemplary public service. Dr. Willett was among the eight inductees in the Papillion-La Vista Schools Hall of Fame at Gala 2014, held Aug. 23. Dr. Willett is a 1982 graduate of Papillion-La Vista High School. He received his Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, Master of Science in Anatomy, and Doctorate of Philosophy in Cell Biology and Anatomy, all from UNMC, where he is an associate professor of genetics, cell biology & anatomy.

Marvin Stancil, M.D., associate professor, obstetrics/gynecology, will receive the Pete and Weesie Hollis Community Service Award from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). The award was established to recognize ACOG Fellows for their outstanding and dedicated service in caring for the underserved community. The award provides a $1,000 honorarium and free registration to attend ACOG’s 2015 Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting in San Francisco on May 2-6. Dr. Stancil will be recognized during the Awards Ceremony on May 3. He will donate the $1,000 to two charities – the Fathers for a Lifetime program through the Charles Drew Health Center, which is committed to supporting men in getting connected and staying connected to their children, and the Stork’s Nest program, which strives to encourage self-esteem and parenting skills by providing incentives for mothers to practice healthy behaviors.

Alan Kolok, Ph.D.

Alan Kolok, Ph.D., interim director, Center for Environmental Health and Toxicology in the UNMC College of Public Health, and a professor in UNO’s biology department, was one of 10 University of Nebraska faculty members to receive grants from the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska to provide stipends to students and postdoctoral fellows working on projects that contribute to a more water and food secure world. Dr. Kolok received the grant for his project to study the pressure that agrichemicals exert on water resources; the stipend was awarded to Ph.D. student Jonathan Ali in the UNMC College of Public Health.

Gary Perkins, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center president and chief executive officer, will retire Dec. 31, 2015. Perkins, 66, has served Children’s for more than 43 years. Under his leadership, Children’s has grown from a local community hospital to a nationally recognized academic medical center–in part, through the hospital’s 2007 affiliation with the UNMC College of Medicine and the recruitment of more than 50 pediatric specialists.