NORTHEAST OHIO MEDICAL UNIVERSITY: STILL BURNING BRIGHT AFTER 40 YEARS
CELEBRATIN N
ortheast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) is proud to be celebrating 40 years of education, research and service. Built upon a strong foundation, the University is excited to focus on a present era of energizing growth with plans for an even brighter future. Throughout its 40 years, NEOMED has been changing the lives of individuals in the region by working in collaboration with educational, clinical and research partners to successfully educate and train health professionals and medical researchers, improve the quality of health care and services available to the community, and make a strong economic impact in Northeast Ohio and beyond. Dedicated to its mission of education, research and service, Northeast Ohio Medical University has transformed from a humble “college in the cornfield” to a dynamic public university, serving the region as an academic health center, maintaining its commitment to its rural roots and welcoming the community to its evolving campus. This is its story.
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NG 40 YEARS
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JUNE 1972
Stanley W. Olson, M.D., charter provost, 1973-1979
Multiple constituents, including three state-supported universities in Northeast Ohio (The University of Akron, Kent State University and Youngstown State University), responded to a challenge offered by the Ohio General Assembly to develop a plan for medical education for the region. The plan was to address the need for primary care physicians and use existing facilities of the three universities and of the area community hospitals to the greatest extent possible. The Northeastern Medical Education Development Center of Ohio, Inc. (MEDCO), was incorporated under Ohio Law on Aug. 18, 1972. Stanley W. Olson, M.D., was selected as chief executive ofďŹ cer and charter provost of the College.
AUGUST 1973 The Ohio General Assembly passed Senate Bill 72 establishing the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) to meet a critical need for primary care physicians in Northeast Ohio.
JULY 1974 Jones Farm
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NEOUCOM purchased Sunny Lane Farms, a 53-acre farm, from Bryan and Dorothy Jones as the home for the basic medical sciences campus.
AUGUST 1974
Robert A. Liebelt, M.D., Ph.D., dean, 1974-1979
The Board of Trustees appointed Robert A. Liebelt M.D., Ph.D., as dean, and he assumed his duties Aug. 1, 1974.
DECEMBER 1975
The Rootstown High School band leads guests to the ceremony.
More than 450 people attended the groundbreaking ceremonies for NEOUCOM.
APRIL 1976 Provisional accreditation was granted to the College of Medicine from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.
DECEMBER 1976
(Left to right): State Senator Robert E. Stockdale, Congressman John Seiberling and State Senator Oliver Ocasek
A ceremony was held to dedicate the placement of the cornerstone for the new campus. The 600-pound cornerstone sits to the right of the administration building’s original entryway and contains an air-tight copper document box. The box is set to be opened in the year 2026.
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SEPTEMBER 1977 In partnership with The University of Akron, Kent State University and Youngstown State University, 42 students were selected in September 1977 for the charter B.S./M.D. class.
FEBRUARY 1979
Dr. Saltzman, Dr. Novotny, Mrs. Olson and Dr. Olson
Following Dr. Olson’s announcement of plans to retire, the NEOUCOM Board of Trustees, by recommendation of Dr. Olson, voted to combine the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Dean into a single position. Dr. Liebelt was appointed to the position.
MAY 1981 NEOUCOM received full accreditation for the medical portion of the College’s six-year combined B.S./M.D. degree program and graduated its first class of 42 physicians.
Basic medical sciences campus, summer 1978
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“We were all put in a bus and brought to Rootstown. We saw a cornfield and a farmhouse — there was no school. But Dr. Olson and Dr. Liebelt gave us confidence that a school would rise, and it did.” – Ross Henschen, charter class member, Silver Reflections
NOVEMBER 1981 Dr. Liebelt announced his retirement in November 1981. He agreed to stay at NEOUCOM through September 1982 to aid in a national search for a new provost and dean.
AUGUST 1982 The annual Williams Carlos Williams Poetry Competition began.
FEBRUARY 1983
Colin Campbell, M.D., provost and dean, 1983-1990 Photo Credit: Karsh Ottawa
Colin Campbell, M.D., was named provost and dean of the College. Dr. Campbell came from the University of Alabama and was the first person to lead the College who had not been involved from the beginning.
APRIL 1983
The Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society is established.
A charter was presented to NEOUCOM by Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society to establish the Zeta chapter. AOA recognizes and perpetuates excellence in the medical profession. Thirty students in classes 1981-1984 were announced for membership.
NOVEMBER 1983 NEOUCOM celebrated its 10th Anniversary. A cake resembling the campus is cut by a Board of Trustees member and Dr. Olson. Photo credit: Robert Wilkey
SEPTEMBER 1984
Liebelt Hall
A newly renovated area of campus was completed and housed an auditorium named for Dr. Liebelt as well as offices and laboratories.
MAY 1985 Dr. Olson was presented with the College’s first honorary doctoral degree at commencement.
MAY 1985
Homeland Cemetery
The human anatomy program announced acceptance of body donations in early 1980. The Class of 1988 held the first memorial service at a site in Rootstown’s Homeland Cemetery to honor those who had generously donated their bodies to the College.
JULY 1987 NEOUCOM built and opened the Regional Academic Support Facility, Harry Meshel Hall and the Cliff Skeen Physical Plant Maintenance and Warehouse Facility.
AUGUST 1988 The Dr. Zouhair and Carol Yassine Gross Anatomy Laboratory underwent significant expansion.
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1990 Dr. Campbell was named president and dean.
NOVEMBER 1992 Robert S. Blacklow, M.D. Photo credit: Colin Klein
Inauguration festivities took place for Robert S. Blacklow, M.D., successor to Dr. Campbell. Dr. Blacklow came from the Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University.
OCTOBER 1993 A ribbon-cutting was held for the 38,500square-foot Collaborative Medical Research building, which provided a regional resource for scientiďŹ c investigation and education.
NOVEMBER 1993 Depository Opens
The Regional Library Depository opened on campus. The Depository has a storage capacity of two million volumes, allowing The University of Akron, Cleveland State University, Kent State University, NEOUCOM and Youngstown State University to remove seldom-used materials from their libraries and store them.
JANUARY 1994 Johannes G.M. Thewissen, Ph.D.
Ambulocetus natans, i.e. The Walking Whale, was recovered from the Upper Kuldana Formation of Pakistan by NEOUCOM faculty member, Johannes G.M. Thewissen, Ph.D., and fellow researcher, Sayed Taseer Hussain.
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JULY 1994 The Center for Studies of Clinical Performance opened. The Center was one of the first in the country and has been used as a design model for centers across the nation.
JANUARY 1995 An Alumni Association board of directors laid the foundation for an alumni organization. A constitution and bylaws were approved and officers elected.
MAY 1996 An outdoor amphitheater was dedicated in honor of Hippocrates, the Greek father of medicine. A bust of Hippocrates bearing the Hippocratic oath was created by sculptor Anna Christoforidis and situated in the amphitheater.
APRIL 1997 Dr. Campbell, Dr. Blacklow and Dr. Liebelt
Dr. Campbell was honored with the dedication of the Colin Campbell, M.D., Atrium.
NOVEMBER 1998 In honor of NEOUCOM’s 25th Anniversary, Margaret Dietz drafted the history of the College and published Silver Reflections: A History of the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, 1973-1998.
AUGUST 1999 The Primary Care Medicine and Community Health Sciences Education Building opened.
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AUGUST 2002
Ralph Regula Conference and Event Center
Originally built as the Ralph Regula Conference and Event Center and dedicated in honor of Congressman Ralph Regula on Aug. 28, 2002, the building was host to many conferences, wedding receptions, fundraisers and business events and home to the Bitonte Family Atrium and the Thelma Clark Café.
OCTOBER 2002
Lois Margaret Nora, M.D., J.D., M.B.A.
Lois Margaret Nora, M.D., J.D., M.B.A., was appointed president and dean of NEOUCOM effective Oct. 15, 2002.
JUNE 2005 NEOUCOM took the first step in establishing a pharmacy program and submitted its proposal to the Ohio Board of Regents’ Advisory Committee on Graduate Study. The University of Akron, Kent State University, Youngstown State University, Cleveland State University and NEOUCOM’s affiliated hospitals and health departments were invited to take part in this professional doctoral degree program.
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NOVEMBER 2005
David D. Allen, R.Ph., Ph.D., FASHP
The Ohio Board of Regents approved a Doctor of Pharmacy degree program at NEOUCOM, and the College of Pharmacy was established by the NEOUCOM Board of Trustees in December 2005. David D. Allen, R.Ph., Ph.D., FASHP, was named founding dean.
DECEMBER 2005
A NEOUCOM student practices in the Wasson Center.
NEOUCOM received a $1.5 million unrestricted grant from The Wish, Cope and Life Foundation, a charitable trust of Stark Community Foundation founded by William G. Wasson, M.D. In recognition of this gift, NEOUCOM’s Center for Studies of Clinical Performance was renamed the William G. Wasson, M.D., Center for Clinical Skills Training, Assessment and Scholarship.
AUGUST 2007
College of Pharmacy Students
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The College of Pharmacy welcomed its ďŹ rst class of 73 students. New collaborative opportunities to train health professions students in an innovative, team-based environment gained the University national recognition, and it became a model for interprofessional education.
AUGUST 2007 The multi-disciplinary laboratories underwent extensive expansion and the pharmacy compounding laboratory was built.
JUNE 2008 House Bill 562 was approved, establishing NEOUCOM as an independent health sciences university serving Northeast Ohio.
FEBRUARY 2009 President Dr. Lois Margaret Nora, and Mark Munetz, M.D. from the Department of Psychiatry
The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation awarded NEOUCOM a $5 million grant to establish the Best Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Center to promote recovery and improve the lives of people with schizophrenia.
SEPTEMBER 2009 Walter E. Horton Jr., Ph.D.
Jay A. Gershen, D.D.S., Ph.D. is welcomed by Board of Trustees Chair Steven Schmidt, Ph.D.
NEOUCOM established the College of Graduate Studies after receiving approval from the Ohio Board of Regents to offer a master’s degree and doctoral degree program in integrated pharmaceutical medicine. Walter E. Horton Jr., Ph.D., was named founding dean.
JANUARY 2010 Jay A. Gershen, D.D.S., Ph.D., assumed the role of NEOUCOM president.
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JULY 2010
MEDCAMP
MEDCAMP, a three-day intensive immersion experience designed to provide “hands-on” experiences in biomedical science workshops involving research, clinical problem-solving and an introduction to the fields of clinical medicine and pharmacy, celebrated its 20th Anniversary at NEOUCOM.
AUGUST 2010
Dr. Jay A. Gershen
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At his Inauguration, Dr. Gershen announced a $100,000 gift to kickstart the Education for Service initiative. The initiative would: - develop a middle school to health professions practice pipeline to encourage students from various Northeast Ohio communities to remain ‘home’ in the practice of medicine and pharmacy - create innovative curriculum to address health care workforce needs in communities - engage local communities to support students so that they become embedded in the fabric of the community from the earliest stages of their education through the time they are ready to practice - create a scholarship program in which students receive scholarships while in professional school in exchange for serving the community
APRIL 2011 Gov. John Kasich publicly signed House Bill 139 as approved by the Ohio General Assembly to officially change the name of the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) to Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). (Left to right): Richard Lewis, M.S., M.A., director of governmental relations; Rep. Kathleen Chandler; Rep. Tom Sawyer; President Jay A. Gershen; Dr. Eric Kodish (‘86), Chair, Board of Trustees; Dr. Dianne Bitonte Miladore (‘81), member, Board of Trustees; John Stilliana, assistant director of governmental relations. Seated – Governor John Kasich.
Rebecca Corsi, Pharm.D. (‘11), was selected by her peers to carry the Bowl of Hygea at commencement and to give the inaugural commencement address.
Students accepted into the NEOMED-CSU Post Baccalaureate/M.D. degree program
MAY 2011 The College of Pharmacy graduated its inaugural class of 60 pharmacists.
JUNE 2011 Gov. John Kasich and the Ohio General Assembly approved the biennial appropriations bill, Substitute House Bill 153, which provided funding for the University to add 35 additional students to its College of Medicine in partnership with Cleveland State University (CSU), and provided for the establishment of the NEOMED Academic Campus at CSU.
JUNE 2011 The Doctor of Pharmacy degree program was granted full accreditation status by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Board of Directors.
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MAY 2012
Louis Sullivan, M.D., founder of the Sullivan Alliance, discusses the impact of the NEOMED-CSU Partnership.
NEOMED and Cleveland State University (CSU) celebrated the official launch of the NEOMED-CSU Partnership for Urban Health, an initiative to provide a new and distinct educational model for medicine students in the program. At the event the Partnership announced that the initiative had received national support from the Sullivan Alliance to Transform the Health Professions, an organization dedicated to diversifying the health professions, as well as scholarship funding for students in the Partnership.
AUGUST 2012 Bio-Med Science Academy Students
NEOMED welcomed the arrival of 70 high school freshmen to campus as the first class of Bio-Med Science Academy, the public STEM+M high school that would be sharing the Rootstown campus and facilities.
NOVEMBER 2012 NEOMED became a tobacco-free campus, the first public institution of higher education in Ohio to do so.
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NOVEMBER 2012 The University celebrated the opening of the NEOMED Academic Campus at CSU at 1836 Euclid Ave.
DECEMBER 2012 NEOMED partnered with Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education at the City College of New York to allow students to complete their B.S. degree and the first two years of medical training at their campus and complete their M.D. degree at NEOMED.
MARCH 2013 Hiram College President Tom Chema, J.D., and NEOMED President Jay A. Gershen, D.D.S., Ph.D.
To meet the ever-growing primary health care needs of the region, NEOMED and Hiram College joined forces to establish a NEOMED-Hiram College Baccalaureate to M.D. Pathway Program focused on rural primary care.
MAY 2013
Dr. Gershen introduces Nate while mascots from Kent State, Cleveland State and The University of Akron cheer.
NEOMED introduced “Nate,” the Walking Whale, as its first-ever mascot during an all-campus picnic on Wednesday, May 8. Nate was greeted by more than 300 faculty, staff and students, as well as mascots from neighboring universities.
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MAY 2013
College of Medicine Dean Jeffrey Susman, M.D., and the Honorable Patrick Kennedy II
The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation awarded a $5.5 million grant to the Best Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Center, the largest gift in the University’s history.
MAY 2013
Sarah Kelling, Pharm.D. (‘12), M.P.H. (‘13)
The first class from the College of Graduate Studies was graduate Sarah Kelling, Pharm.D., (‘12) who was awarded a Master of Public Health degree.
AUGUST 2013
The Village at NEOMED
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The Village at NEOMED, the University’s first-ever on-campus student housing, opened as a result of a public-private partnership between the University and Akron-based Signet Development. The 270,000-square-foot, $37 million Village comprises three, four-story buildings with 339 single and double, fully furnished rooms in addition to study rooms and community recreation spaces.
AUGUST 2013 The $45 million Research and Graduate Education Building opened on campus. The building promotes shared resources, technology, collaborative work, and opens into the University’s renovated publicprivate partnership zone, or REDIzone®.
OCTOBER 2013
(Left to right): Alumni Association President Mehool Patel, M.D. (’98), M.B.A.; Rep. Kathleen Clyde; Rep. Jim Renacci; Board of Trustees Chair Chander Kohli, M.D.; Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor; President Jay A. Gershen; County Commissioner Kathleen Chandler; Research!America President, Mary Wooley; Signet Enterprises Chairman Anthony Manna; NEOMED Foundation Board of Directors Chair Jim Merklin
CSU President Ron Berkman, Ph.D. and NEOMED President Jay A. Gershen D.D.S., Ph.D.
The University honored 40 years of education, research and service to the community with the kickoff of its 40th Anniversary. The celebration included the dedication and tours of two new campus building projects: The Research and Graduate Education Building and The Village at NEOMED.
DECEMBER 2013 Cleveland State University and NEOMED broke ground on a $45 million, 100,000-square-foot health sciences building in Cleveland.
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JANUARY 2014
Kent State University Provost Todd Diacon and NEOMED College of Pharmacy Dean Charles Taylor, Pharm.D.
NEOMED and Kent State University formed a new partnership, providing students the opportunity to complete a Bachelor of Science degree and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in just seven years, rather than the typical eight years.
JULY 2014 NEOMED furthered its commitment to diversity and established the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Sergio A. Garcia, LL.B., was named vice president.
SEPTEMBER 2014 The NEW Center
NEOMED and Signet Enterprises dedicated the NEOMED Education and Wellness (NEW) Center. The177,000- squarefoot facility is a major step in shifting the overall culture of health and wellness for the campus and surrounding community. Through collaboration with Signet Development and Integrated Wellness Partners, the NEW Center provides health, wellness and medical education alongside a state-of-the-art fitness environment with physicians’ offices, pharmacy, conference and event space and more.
OCTOBER 2014 NEOMED hosted its first-ever reunion weekend for alumni and celebrated the culmination of its year-long 40th Anniversary with a premiere fundraising Gala.
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40 Years and Still Burning Bright
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ortheast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) excels at the innovative teaching of tomorrow’s physicians, pharmacists, public health ofďŹ cials and health care researchers.
Founded more than 40 years ago, NEOMED continues its dedication to educating primary care providers. The University is strategically focused on expanding the diversity of its students, faculty and staff and building the health care workforce of tomorrow. NEOMED alumni live and work in Northeast Ohio, generating an undeniable economic impact and improving the quality of health care in the region. In addition to creating opportunities for students and employees to touch the surrounding community, new buildings and initiatives invite community members to campus where they can have a personal impact on the future of health care. Building on 40 years of excellence and emphasizing the tenets of education, research and service, Northeast Ohio Medical University is igniting the future of health care, and its legacy burns bright.
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2014 NEOMED LEADERSHIP TEAM
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
President: Jay A. Gershen, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Chander M. Kohli, M.D. - Chair
Vice President for Advancement and President, NEOMED Foundation: Daniel S. Blain, M.A., M.S.W. Chief of Staff and Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Sergio Garcia, LL.B. Vice President for Research and Dean, College of Graduate Studies: Walter E. Horton Jr., Ph.D. Director of Governmental Relations and Secretary, Board of Trustees: Richard Lewis, M.S., M.A.
General Counsel and Chief Technology Transfer Officer: Maria Schimer, M.P.H., J.D.
J. David Heller, CPA - Vice Chair Daisy L. Alford-Smith, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Medicine: Jeffrey L. Susman, M.D.
Paul R. Bishop, J.D.
Dean, College of Pharmacy: Charles Taylor, Pharm.D.
Elizabeth A. Carter, student trustee
Vice President for Administration and Finance: John Wray, J.D.
Robert J. Klonk
Dianne M. Bitonte Miladore, M.D. (‘81)
Joseph R. Halter Jr.
Sharlene Ramos-Chesnes Douglas Snyder, student trustee
EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS: Central State University
Assistant to the President: Michelle Mulhern
Cleveland State University Hiram College Kent State University Miami University Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education The University of Akron Youngstown State University
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W H AT
I G N I T E S
Y O U ?
Northeast Ohio Medical University | 4209 St. Rt. 44, PO Box 95 | Rootstown, Ohio 44272 | neomed.edu