The University of Nebraska Medical Center honored two individuals and
one of Nebraskas most esteemed foundations for contributions to the university,
the medical profession and the state on May 5 at the spring commencement
ceremony.
UNMC awarded the Peter Kiewit Foundation with the Chancellors Distinguished
Service Award. The UNMC Chancellors Distinguished Service Award
is given to individuals or organizations that have demonstrated outstanding
support for UNMC by way of personal service, private contributions or other
meritorious advocacy for the campus mission.
Peter Kiewit was born and raised in Omaha and led his fathers construction
company into becoming one of the largest employee-owned businesses in the
United States. The Peter Kiewit Foundation was created entirely from
his personal wealth. At the time of his death, he had made some $15
million in known donations and had pledged an additional $5 million.
Since the Foundations first year of operations in 1980, the Trustees have
approved more than 1,400 grants exceeding $344 million in value.
The Foundation currently has assets of approximately $525 million.
The Foundation has demonstrated a strong commitment to UNMC research
enterprise over the years. It donated $1 million towards the construction
of the Eppley Science Hall in 1991. In its largest gift ever to the
University of Nebraska, the Peter Kiewit Foundation made a $17.5 million
grant to help fund construction of the $77 million, 284,000-square foot
Research Center of Excellence. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new
research center will be held on May 22.
Reba Benschoter, Ph.D., whose career at UNMC spanned 43 years, retired
June 30, 2000, as director of Bio-Medical Communications. She also was
associate dean for the School of Allied Health Professions from 1985 to
1995. She received the J.G. (Jack) Elliott Award for her pioneering
work in the implementation of new communications technologies and the development
of a number of successful educational initiatives to support UNMCs continuing
commitment to rural Nebraska.
The J.G. (Jack) Elliott Award honors the memory of a former Scottsbluff
resident that served on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents for
20 years until his death in 1974. The J.G. (Jack) Elliott Award honors
an individual who has made a significant contribution to health programs
for the state of Nebraska and UNMC, especially UNMC programs that have
an impact throughout the state.
Dr. Benschoter led the development of a UNMC partnership with the Nebraska
Educational Television Network in 1975. The network provided low-cost
electronic access to key Nebraska communities. IN 1991, she participated
in the planning and implementations of the statewide satellite TV system,
NEB*SAT. As associate head for SAHP, Dr. Benschoter spearheaded the
study of rural allied health workforce in 1987, and led the school in developing
innovative programs such as the SAHP Rural Health Opportunities Program
with Chadron State College, special rural admissions tacks, programs for
non-traditional rural students and the creation of rural training sites
to allow students to remain close to their communities.
In 1990, Dr. Benschoter helped to build the Rural Health Education Network
and, in 1993, she conceived, and became project director of the Rural Health
Education Distance Learning Research Center, joint venture between UNMC
and the University of Nebraska at Kearney to build a state-of-the art center
for distance learning and research in the application of new educational
technologies.
Bruce A. Chabner, M.D., a nationally renowned physician, received an
Honorary Doctors of Science Degree for his many contributions to the development
of cancer drug therapies. Dr. Chabner is a professor of medicine
at Harvard Medical School. He is section chief of the division of
hematology/oncology and clinical director of the Cancer Center at Massachusetts
General Hospital, a teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Dr. Chabner has published more than 200 papers, as well as 15 books.
He has received numerous awards for his work in oncology, including the
U.S. Public Health Services Commendation Medal, Outstanding Service Medal
and the Distinguished Service Medal while serving at the National Cancer
Institute. In September 2000, Dr. Chabner was the guest speaker at the
UNMC Eppley Cancer Centers Carol Bell Lectureship.