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At Convocation, Chancellor Collins outlines vision for new era
CHANCELLOR MICHAEL F. COLLINS
Days after announcing a $175 million gift from The Morningside Foundation, Chancellor Michael F. Collins gave his annual Convocation address, focusing on the “transformational moment” for the institution and, especially, its three graduate schools, renamed as a consequence of the gift. He called for collective efforts to shape the future of UMass Chan Medical School.
The centerpiece of Chancellor Collins’ address was a vision for a bold new era.
“How wonderful it is, as we begin the second 50 years of the Medical School’s journey, that we are afforded this opportunity, by virtue of this gift from The Morningside Foundation, to transform our institution and to take our rightful place among the finest institutions in the world that are committed to health care education, research and service to others,” Collins said. “Through the generosity of others, we shall now be poised to attract, educate and mentor outstanding students; recruit and retain committed faculty; develop innovative and cutting-edge programs; and encourage all our students, faculty and staff to redouble our commitment to serve others.”
Collins recalled being inspired in 2016 by Gerald Chan’s speech, “The Research University in Today’s Society,” which Chan had presented earlier that year at University College, London. Chan made the case that great universities become so when they can benefit from public-private partnerships.
The unrestricted gift from The Morningside Foundation nearly doubles the Medical School’s endowment.
At Convocation, four faculty members were honored with Chancellor’s Medals, including a posthumous Chancellor’s Medal for Distinguished Service to the late Robert W. Finberg, MD, chair emeritus and distinguished professor of medicine, who died unexpectedly on Aug. 30. Dr. Finberg’s wife of 50 years, Joyce D. Fingeroth, MD, professor of medicine, accepted the medal on his behalf.
“Each year, one individual in our community is recognized for a career-long dedication to our institution and their profession,” said Collins, introducing the Chancellor’s Medal for Distinguished Service. “The medal for distinguished service recalls extraordinary commitment; it relates sincere appreciation for outstanding contributions; and it respects one among us who is singular in dedication to our medical school.”
Collins continued: “An outstanding educator, an accomplished investigator and a committed clinician defines the essence of a distinguished career in academic medicine. Throughout our history and recently, challenged by the pandemic, we have needed the best of medicine to serve the needs of our learners, to investigate novel therapeutics and to care for those afflicted with this novel virus. This year’s medal for distinguished service recognizes one who has taught, discovered and treated, but most importantly, appreciates one who helped us through the most challenging of times through dedicated service.”
“It is with profound sadness that I present this medal, posthumously, to Dr. Robert Finberg,” Collins said.
“Throughout this past year, we needed him more than ever,” he said. “When coronavirus entered our midst, he entered our everyday lives, helping us to understand this virus, its clinical manifestations, and the therapeutic options that might work and those that wouldn’t. Week in and week out he became the face of our medical school, speaking to the public about the disease and its progression and prevention.”
Pang-Yen Fan, MD, professor of medicine, received the Chancellor’s Medal for Distinguished Teaching; Anastasia Khvorova, PhD, the Remondi Family Chair in Biomedical Research and professor of RNA therapeutics, was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal for Distinguished Scholarship; and Janice F. Lalikos, MD, professor of surgery, received the Chancellor’s Medal for Distinguished Clinical Excellence.
Following Convocation, nine named professors were invested.
Douglas Golenbock, MD, professor of medicine, was honored as the Neil and Margery Blacklow Chair in Infectious Diseases and Immunology; Anastasia Khvorova, PhD, professor of RNA therapeutics, was invested as the Remondi Family Chair in Biomedical Research; Brian Lewis, PhD, professor of molecular, cell & cancer biology, was named as the second George F. Booth Chair in the Basic Sciences; David McManus, MD, chair and professor of medicine, became the Richard M. Haidack Professor in Medicine; Jennifer Reidy, MD, associate professor of family medicine & community health and chief of the Division of Palliative Medicine, was named the Joy McCann Professor for Women in Medicine; Milagros Rosal, PhD, professor of population & quantitative health sciences, was named the Imoigele P. Aisiku, MD’97 Chair in Health Equity and Diversity; Erik Sontheimer, PhD, professor of RNA therapeutics, became the newest holder of the Pillar Chair in Biomedical Research; Gregory A. Volturo, MD, chair and professor of emergency medicine, was named the Richard V. Aghababian, MD’74 Chair in Emergency Medicine; and Kimberly Yonkers, MD, chair and professor of psychiatry, became the first Katz Family Chair in Psychiatry. ■
Robert W. Finberg, MD, was posthumously awarded the Chancellor’s Medal for Distinguished Service. Joyce D. Fingeroth, MD, his wife of 50 years, accepted the medal on his behalf.
JOHN GILLOOLY/PEI
Brian Lewis, PhD, who was endowed as the second George F. Booth Chair in the Basic Sciences, shakes hands with George F. Booth II.
JOHN GILLOOLY/PEI
