The Ohio State University alumni of the College of Medicine returned to campus to celebrate the 58th Annual Medical Alumni Reunion Weekend, Friday, Sept. 9 through Sunday, Sept. 11.
All alumni were welcome to attend, and 12 milestone-year classes were featured, from the veteran Class of 1946, celebrating its 65-year reunion, to the Class of 2006, celebrating its first reunion of just five years. Regardless of their anniversary year, alumni enjoyed a weekend full of activities.
On Friday, the Class of 1961 celebrated 50 years at the Ross Heart Hospital Auditorium with lunch, where alumni were recognized for their post graduation accomplishments with medallions and memory books. Other classes took Friday afternoon to tour the new construction happening around the campus. Groups toured the new Clinical Skills Education and Assessment Center addition on the top floor of Prior Health Sciences Library, along with the Medical Center Expansion project, including the new home of the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and Critical Care Tower. About 300 alumni and guests gathered Friday evening for the Alumni Reunion All-Class Dinner at the Sheraton Columbus Hotel at Capitol Square. The group celebrated alumni achievement awardees, took time to catch up with peers and even visited with The Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee.
Saturday, students and alumni woke up early for the Underrepresented Minority Breakfast, where Robert Higgins, MD, director of the OSU Comprehensive Transplant Program, gave a keynote presentation titled “Tips on How to Survive, Thrive and Lead.” At the annual Medical Alumni Society meeting, students shared projects including PODEMOS, Buckeye Blanket Bash, International Health Relief Initiative and the Anatomy Memorial Service, projects that are truly making an impact in the local and global community. Alumni celebrated Buckeye spirit with Archie Griffin at the tailgate brunch outside of Meiling Hall just before the OSU victory over the Toledo Rockets.
The weekend came to an end Sunday when the Class of 1961 joined President Gee, Dr. Steven Gabbe and Dean Charles Lockwood at the all-university 50th-year brunch at the Ohio Union.
If it’s been a while since you’ve been back, we hope you’ll plan to join us in 2012 for our 59th Annual Medical Alumni Reunion. Place it on your calendar for Friday, Oct. 5 – Sunday, Oct. 7. We hope to see you there!