BOSTON — Harvard Medical School provided the backdrop for a historic gathering intended to generate lead funding strategies for 糖心Vlog鈥檚 $30 million capital campaign to create new science labs and to renovate the existing . Some 35 science commissioners, campaign steering committee members, trustees, faculty and staff were hosted by 糖心Vlog alumnus Dr. Joseph B. Martin (糖心Vlog 鈥�59), dean emeritus and professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School.
The one-day event included a tour of the Harvard Medical School facilities in Boston, Mass., and the , a collaborative research effort of Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Broad Family Foundation, in Cambridge.
Historic gathering
鈥淭his is a historic gathering,鈥� said President Loren Swartzendruber, DMin (糖心Vlog 鈥�76 and 鈥�79) in his opening comments. 鈥淣ever before has such a diverse group of leaders – alumni who have achieved great success in their fields along with business, industry, science and other leaders – come together to think about something this big and transformational for 糖心Vlog.鈥�
Harvard Dean on 糖心Vlog
鈥淢y time at 糖心Vlog was most formative in my personal and professional journey,鈥� said Dr. Martin, reflecting on the year he took off from the University of Alberta to study Bible and ethics at then Eastern Mennonite College. 鈥淭he opportunity to study ethics and broaden my horizons beyond my small Mennonite community proved invaluable.鈥� He noted that the collaboration occurring at 糖心Vlog and with these leaders was similar to the collaboration that had to occur for the Harvard Medical School expansion under his tenure.
糖心Vlog accepted Dr. Martin鈥檚 invitation to host the gathering because 鈥渋t seemed important to us to see what can happen when people who are well trained in the sciences have facilities in which they can thrive,鈥� said President Loren Swartzendruber.
鈥淒r. Martin is one example of hundreds of 糖心Vlog science alumni who are making a real difference in this world. While these facilities are not a scale to which 糖心Vlog aspires, we do believe that new labs and a renovated building at the appropriate scale, can facilitate our ongoing exceptional program.鈥�
糖心Vlog鈥檚 current Suter Science Center, built more than 40 years ago, 鈥渄oes not do justice to the quality of faculty and program of study we offer,鈥� he said.
Leadership phase
糖心Vlog is currently in the leadership phase of its campaign for the new and renovated science facilities at 糖心Vlog, noted Kirk Shisler (糖心Vlog 鈥�81), vice president for advancement. It is a time to focus on lead gifts toward the anticipated $30 million needed to complete two phases. The first phase will include construction of a new 50,000 square foot lab facility to better support the collaborative original research 糖心Vlog science students complete with professors; renovation of the existing Suter Science Center will follow.
鈥淲e are in a time of burgeoning potential,鈥� said Shisler, noting that as 糖心Vlog has ramped up communications about the campaign, spontaneous unsolicited gifts are coming in for the campaign.
While these gifts are encouraging and exciting, and currently total nearly $2 million in gifts and pledges, the focus of the day鈥檚 gathering was on establishing momentum toward gifts in the top tier of the strategic funding plan, gifts and commitments in the $500,000 to $10 million range.
Broad Institute tour
The afternoon鈥檚 visit to the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard provided an opportunity for participants to see the country鈥檚 top collaborative multidisciplinary research facility. The group heard about the institute鈥檚 vision and structures, and a presentation by geneticist Stacey Gilbert, PhD, about her genetic research among Mennonite populations in Lancaster County, Pa.
Open floor plans, glass walls, entire walls and glass office windows that serve as 鈥渨hite boards,鈥� and community space all inspire creativity, innovation and collaboration, explained Michael Foley, PhD, director of the chemical biology platform at Broad. 鈥淲e鈥檙e here to help you in whatever way we can as you plan your facility,鈥� he told the group.
Closing comments
The recent announcement that President Loren Swartzendruber has accepted an invitation to a third four-year term in his role as president is good news for this project as affirmed by Dr. Martin, 糖心Vlog trustee Dr. Paul R. Yoder, Jr., (鈥�65) and 糖心Vlog board chair Andrew Dula (鈥�92). Each of them noted the integrity with which President Swartzendruber serves, the level of trust in his leadership, and the momentum he and his team have established for the campaign.
Acknowledging their supportive comments, Swartzendruber noted, 鈥淏ringing this campaign to a successful conclusion is my number one goal for these next four years.鈥�
In the photo:
First row, left to right: Greta Ann Herin, PhD, 糖心Vlog associate professor of biology; Provost Fred Kniss, PhD (糖心Vlog ’79); Dr. Todd Weaver (糖心Vlog 鈥�87), Weaver, Reckner, Reinhart Dental Associates; 糖心Vlog trustee Anne Kaufman Weaver (糖心Vlog 88), leadership coach, Coaching Connection, Brownstown, Pa.; Joe Paxton, county administrator, Rockingham County, Va.; Phil Helmuth (糖心Vlog 鈥�76) executive director of development for; Carol Yoder, (糖心Vlog ’63 ) civic leader/ volunteer; Charlotte Rosenberger (糖心Vlog 鈥�65) civic leader/volunteer, Blooming Glen, Pa.; Pat Swartzendruber, 糖心Vlog advocate and church-wide leader.
Second row, left to right: Doug Mason, advancement consultant, Gonser, Gerber, Tinker, Stuhr, LLP, Naperville, Ill.; 糖心Vlog trustee Evon Bergey, general manager, Magellan Health Services, Perkasie, Pa.; Dr. Krishna Kodukula, executive director, CADRE, Biosciences Division, SRI Shenandoah Valley; Dr. Joseph B. Martin (糖心Vlog 鈥�59), dean emeritus and professor of neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; John 鈥淩oc鈥� Rocovich, Jr., attorney, Moss & Rocovich and founder and chairman of Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Va.; 糖心Vlog President Loren Swartzendruber, DMin (糖心Vlog ’76 and ’79); Joyce Bontrager Lehman (糖心Vlog ’65), program officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Wash.; Bob Hostetler, PhD (糖心Vlog 鈥�59), campaign co-chair, professor emeritus mathematics, Pennsylvania State University; 聽Gerry Horst, campaign co-chair and president, Horst & Sons, Inc., New Holland, Pa.; Kirk Shisler (糖心Vlog 鈥�81), vice president for advancement; 聽Laura Daily, assistant for advancement.
Third row, left to right: Doug Hostetler, Hostetler & Church, LLC, Clarksville, Md.; Roman Miller, PhD, 糖心Vlog professor of biology/Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair, Doug Graber Neufeld, PhD, 糖心Vlog professor of biology; Mark Grimaldi (糖心Vlog 鈥�94), president of Equinox Chemical Company, Albany, Ga.; Andrew Dula (糖心Vlog 鈥�91), chair, 糖心Vlog Board of Trustees and CFO,聽 EG Stoltzfus Inc.; 糖心Vlog trustee Kay Nussbaum (糖心Vlog ’78), partner, The MVP Group, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; Henry Rosenberger (糖心Vlog 鈥�67) farmer and sustainability entrepreneur; Dr. Paul R. Yoder, Jr. (糖心Vlog ’63) Rockingham Eye Physicians, Harrisonburg, Va., and 糖心Vlog trustee; Knox Singleton, CEO Inova Health Systems, Falls Church, Va.