Fifty-eight current and former leaders of the Medical Alumni Association (MAA) and their families have presented Wake Forest School of Medicine with a gift of more than $5.8 million as part of the MAA Challenge, a fundraising effort that has raised nearly $16.4 million since fall 2011.
The latest gift of $5,843,563 was presented Oct. 26 during the MAA fall board meeting at The Mews at Graylyn International Conference Center. Past MAA presidents Merrill Hunter, M.D. ’78, of Raleigh; Joel Miller, M.D. ’74, of Hickory, and Allen Van Dyke, M.D. ’71, of Wilmington, made the announcement.
Combined with a gift of more than $10.5 million made one year ago by 17 alumni, the latest gift raised the MAA Challenge total to $16,360,992 from 75 alumni, as of Oct. 25.
Edward Abraham, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, accepted the gift in front of an audience that included several descendants and heirs of Bowman Gray, whose bequest of $750,000 in the late 1930s set in motion the events that brought the medical school to Winston-Salem.
“On behalf of our school and our students, faculty and staff, I must say I am overwhelmed and most grateful for the very generous support of our alumni,” Abraham said. “This gift will enhance the mission of our school and indeed the Medical Center, and extend the legacy and culture of the School of Medicine to future generations of students and faculty.”
Approximately 60 percent of the total gift is designated for student scholarship support and approximately 40 percent for innovation in research and teaching at the medical school, which has more than 4,700 alumni.
The latest gift of $5,843,563 was presented Oct. 26 during the MAA fall board meeting at The Mews at Graylyn International Conference Center. Past MAA presidents Merrill Hunter, M.D. ’78, of Raleigh; Joel Miller, M.D. ’74, of Hickory, and Allen Van Dyke, M.D. ’71, of Wilmington, made the announcement.
Combined with a gift of more than $10.5 million made one year ago by 17 alumni, the latest gift raised the MAA Challenge total to $16,360,992 from 75 alumni, as of Oct. 25.
Edward Abraham, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, accepted the gift in front of an audience that included several descendants and heirs of Bowman Gray, whose bequest of $750,000 in the late 1930s set in motion the events that brought the medical school to Winston-Salem.
“On behalf of our school and our students, faculty and staff, I must say I am overwhelmed and most grateful for the very generous support of our alumni,” Abraham said. “This gift will enhance the mission of our school and indeed the Medical Center, and extend the legacy and culture of the School of Medicine to future generations of students and faculty.”
Approximately 60 percent of the total gift is designated for student scholarship support and approximately 40 percent for innovation in research and teaching at the medical school, which has more than 4,700 alumni.
Media Relations
Eric Whittington: ewhittin@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-5318
Mac Ingraham: mingraha@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-3487