Power of Personal Philanthropy - Summer 2012

The

Powerof Personal Philanthropy Summer 2012

www.support.vcu.edu

VCU V i r g i n i a

C o m m o n w e a l t h

U n i v e r s i t y

The

Powerof Personal Philanthropy Summer 2012

www.support.vcu.edu

Inside this issue 5 Scholarship draws attention to patient safety 6 Alumnus’s planned giving helps students thrive 7 Library gift shows changes in pharmacy field 9 $1 million campaign for India Chair launches 10 Pro bono video spurs gifts to VCU Annual Fund 11 School inducts 14 members at annual event 13 Scholarship honors a family’s dental legacy 15 Couple joins the cancer fight with Massey gift 16 Institute for Contemporary Art wows alumni 17

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On the cover

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Reunion memories lead to medical education gift

Mark (B.S. ’87) and Natalie Newfield make their way to Snead Hall, home of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business.

Editor: Melanie Irvin (B.S. ’96), msirvin@vcu.edu, (804) 828-3975 Nan Johnson, | The Power II Writer: of Personalnljohnson@vcu.edu Philanthropy

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Mark and Natalie Newfield, who established a scholarship for VCU business students in 1999, are ensuring its longevity through a planned gift.

Mentor spurs gift, planned giving helps it grow Mark Newfield (B.S. ’87) came to Virginia Commonwealth University as an English major, but an accounting elective changed his life. It was in that School of Business class that he met professor John Sperry, Ph.D. “It was a very fundamental class,” Newfield said. “Sperry noticed that I was good at it and suggested that I consider a major in accounting. I took him up on the idea.”

After graduation, Newfield set his sights on a consulting career and targeted Accenture, a global management consulting company, as his employer of choice. He landed an interview but didn’t get the job. Later, he mentioned his disappointment to Sperry, whom he had come to view as his mentor.

“John called a managing partner here in the Richmond office whom I hadn’t met and said, ‘You need to give this young man a job,’” Newfield said. “The next day I got a call from the same person who had turned me down. I worked for Accenture in D.C. and was with them for 14 years. If it hadn’t been for John, it never would have happened. John did that for a lot of people. He was incredibly positive of my capabilities.”

Newfield wasn’t always so sure about his own potential. Though he did “reasonably well” at Northern Virginia Community College, the Washington, D.C., native thought a college education was out of reach.

“My two worries were ‘Am I smart enough?’ and ‘How am I going to pay for it?’” he remembered.

He worked full time as a bartender while at VCU and got married during his junior year.

“I did really well in my senior year,” he said. “My wife worked and I didn’t. My grades were substantially better.”

Pulling those two aspects of his college experience together — a wonderful mentor in Sperry and the ability to focus on his studies without financial worry — Newfield and his wife, Natalie, in 1999 established The Newfield Merit Scholarship in Business for incoming freshmen.

“The long-term objective is to provide full funding for deserving business students,” he said. “When I wasn’t worried about paying for my education, I did much better and thought if we could provide something like this for someone, it would be a good thing.”

Additionally, the couple recently made a planned gift through a $250,000 life insurance policy with a benefit to be equally split between the couple’s two passions: education and VCU Athletics.

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Planned giving,

continued from Page 3 ___________________________ The Newfields show their support for the Rams at the 2011 Final Four.

“I know from my own personal experience that education is a weapon that strikes down poverty. If you want people to have choices in life, they have to be educated or be really lucky, and I chose education over luck,” Newfield said. “I got a great gift from VCU in my own education and from someone who thought enough of me to stick his neck out.”

Half of the policy benefit will be applied to the couple’s existing merit scholarship endowment in the School of Business. The other half will support athletic scholarships for student-athletes.

“I’ve always had an attachment for VCU because of my husband, but now I have my own attachment through basketball and watching these kids grow into men and women,” Natalie Newfield said. “It’s really wonderful to see, especially as a mother.”

Through their planned gift, she explained, the couple can make a significant contribution without it being a financial stretch.

“I couldn’t write a check for $250,000 unless I won the lottery, but as part of our financial planning, it’s a significant gift that we can provide over time,” she said.

Planned giving, such as the Newfields’ establishment of a life insurance policy in which VCU is named the beneficiary, presents a variety of options for donors. Mark Newfield is part of a university initiative to help educate alumni about the many ways to give back to VCU. “Mark has agreed to help me as we plan to develop a new Office of Planned Giving at VCU. He has agreed to assist me with reviewing issues associated with planned giving and especially those strategies involving life insurance,” said Tom Burke (B.S. ’79; M.P.A. ’95), associate vice president for development and alumni relations and executive director of the VCU Foundation.

“We have many alumni and friends who might benefit from hearing about the strategies associated with planned giving,” he said. “Planned giving looks beyond the checkbook to estate planning and provides benefits aimed at helping alumni and friends reach their philanthropy goals while also reducing estate taxes or providing them a life income. Our ultimate goal is to enroll them as members of our Heritage Society so that we can recognize them for their support.”

Mark Newfield is happy to help educate his fellow alumni about planned giving options.

“For me, successful giving is a function of finding something you love to do, then finding the way to do it,” he said.

To learn more about planned giving, contact Tom Burke (B.S. ’79; M.P.A. ’95), associate vice president for development and alumni relations and executive director of the VCU Foundation, at (804) 828-3958 or tcburke@vcu.edu.

4 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Reunion memories lead to medical education gift When it comes to using technology in a medical setting, Dr. Robert E. Hoyt (M.D. ’71; H.S. ’74) literally wrote the book on the subject. He and his wife, Dr. Ann Yoshihashi, along with associate editor Nora Bailey, are the authors of a widely used text on health informatics, now in its fifth edition.

The use of information technology provides many benefits for patients and physicians alike, from telemedicine scenarios to tracking the use of multiple prescriptions, but it’s not the only ingredient. The human element, Hoyt explained, is essential to medical care.

“I’m something of a unique duck,” he said. “While I currently teach cutting-edge technology in health informatics, I still have one foot in the best of the old tradition.

When I was in practice, I made lots of house calls and lectured on the importance of patient interaction.”

As director of the medical informatics program in the School of Allied Health and Life Sciences at University of West Florida in Pensacola, Fla., Hoyt is quick to apply his clinical experience in the classroom setting.

“Young physicians don’t understand the continuity of care and the powerful position they’re in to help people in all kinds of trouble,” he said. “It goes further than advising people about treatment.”

A gift from Drs. Ann Yoshihashi and Robert E. Hoyt Providing clinical experience supports the medical school’s efforts to provide for medical students is one of the students with a dedicated space for simulating clinical experiences. reasons he and his wife made a $150,000 gift to support the creation of a simulation center in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine’s new education building. This most recent generosity is in addition to a class scholarship gift made in honor of Hoyt’s 40th reunion.

“It was the 2011 reunion that stimulated the idea,” he said. “Being with classmates and sharing fond memories made me think. My wife and I are in the position to give back. It’s a golden opportunity to positively influence physicians of the future. There’s value in both technology and the development of the bedside manner. I don’t put one above the other. We need to embrace the newest technology but not forget about the doctor-patient relationship. We have to be big patient advocates.”

Future students will develop and hone their clinical skills in the simulation center in the 200,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to be complete in spring 2013.

Two floors will be dedicated to the simulation center, which uses high-tech advances to create a low-risk setting for students to gain clinical experience.

“It’s fitting that the debriefing room in the building’s simulation center will carry Bob and Ann’s names,” said Dr. Jerome F. Strauss III, dean of the School of Medicine, and executive vice president for medical affairs at VCU Health System. “That’s the place where students review their handling of the different patient-care scenarios with their mentors and, in doing so, transform what could be just an educational exercise into clinical wisdom. That kind of dialogue and application of technology typifies what Bob and Ann have worked toward over their own careers. We are very grateful to have their support of the medical school’s campaign.”

To learn more about the School of Medicine’s new medical education center, contact Tom Holland, associate dean for development, at (804) 828-4800 or teholland@vcu.edu.

Summer 2012 | 5

Scholarship draws attention to patient safety Something good has stemmed from one student’s error: a new scholarship in Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Allied Health Professions to recognize graduate students for their commitment to patient safety.

“When presenting for general anesthesia, there is an almost sacred trust that the public puts in our hands and with that comes a great deal of humility and responsibility,” said Michael D. Fallacaro, D.N.S., C.R.N.A., professor and chairman of the Department of Nurse Anesthesia in the School of Allied Health Professions.

Inspired by that former student who, at a national forum, cited her own practice error as an educational example and the commitment to safety by others, Fallacaro established in 2011 the Fallacaro Patient Safety Scholarship in Nurse Anesthesia with a gift commitment of $10,000. The scholarship will be awarded to a nurse anesthesia student who best represents a spirit of service to others through dedication and contribution to patient safety.

“Using her own experience to help educate others was a selfless act of professionalism,” Fallacaro said of the student.

In another example, a woman’s potential to have a child was saved because a nurse anesthesia student spent extra time getting to know her during the patient interview and served as her advocate and anesthetist during surgery.

“Graduate students like these need to be acknowledged and their experiences shared with others,” he said.

Anesthesia is safer than ever because A scholarship established by department Chair of new therapeutics and greater educaMichael D. Fallacaro, D.N.S., C.R.N.A., rewards tional preparation of providers in the field, nurse anesthesia students’ dedication.

Fallacaro said.

“There are significant risks associated with anesthesia, and providers accept the high degree of accountability assumed in their roles,” he said. “While mishaps are very rare, when they do occur they can prove catastrophic. However, we can reduce the incidence of human error if we have robust systems in place, such as checklists, safety protocols, questioning attitudes and effective communications, to catch our errors before we make them.”

Ranked No. 1 in the country since 2004 by U.S. News & World Report, VCU’s programs in nurse anesthesia include a master’s and a clinical doctorate as well as a combined degree offering.

“The nationally ranked reputation that our nurse anesthesia program enjoys can be attributed to the department’s leadership, its faculty and the quality of our students,” said Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., dean of VCU’s School of Allied Health Professions. “The Fallacaro Patient Safety Scholarship recognizes our graduate students and illustrates our devotion to the education of tomorrow’s health care providers.”

Helping others comes naturally for Fallacaro and he’s happy to give back to his profession.

“In our specialty, we are privileged to warm ourselves around fires we didn’t build,” Fallacaro said. “We all drink from the well we didn’t dig. Each generation has laid the groundwork for those who come next. My hope is that our department will produce graduates who will go on to accomplish things that the faculty and I could never imagine doing ourselves.”

To learn more about the School of Allied Health Professions, contact Jessica FeinbergGurganus, assistant dean for development and external affairs, at (804) 828-3269 or jfgurganus@vcu.edu.

6 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Alumnus’s planned giving helps students thrive Clay Coleman holds many fond memories of his beloved “Uncle Bubba” — from the stories he told to the “fierce loyalty” he held for his alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University.

Coleman’s uncle, E.L. “Buddy” Derring (B.S. ’53; M.H.A. ’58), who graduated from VCU predecessor Richmond Professional Institute, put that loyalty to good use in 1997 by establishing annual scholarships in both the School of Allied Health Professions and the School of Business.

“He loved his time in the business school at Richmond Professional Institute,” Coleman said. “After spending time in the Army, he had the opportunity to get his master’s in health administration at the School of Allied Health Professions and eventually became the CEO at Prince William Hospital in Manassas, Va. He had a phenomenal career there and credits VCU for his success.”

Once Derring entered hospital administration, Coleman said, he knew it was his calling.

“That was his passion,” Coleman said. “He dedicated his life to his family and to his career.”

Before his death in 2011, Derring put the wheels in motion to further benefit his alma mater by including VCU in his estate plan. Through a $20,000 bequest to each school, Derring transformed his annual scholarships into endowed awards. Now the Elwyn L. Derring Scholarship in the Department of Health Administration in the School of Allied Health Professions and the E.L. Derring Scholarship in Business will benefit full-time students with financial needs in perpetuity.

“The scholarship is quite meaningful because E.L. really stayed in touch with us and knew what the master’s program was all about,” said Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., dean of VCU’s School of Allied Health Professions. “He made a financial contribution to help preserve the excellence that he himself enjoyed at our school. That’s what it’s all about.”

E.L. Derring wasn’t the only family member to enjoy the excellence Stephen A. Coleman (left) and William E. Coleman III remember their of a VCU education. Two uncle E.L. Derring and his generosity. of his nephews, twins Stephen A. and William E. Coleman III, are also allied health alumni.

“Uncle Bubba will always be remembered for his generosity. His presence and generous heart will be missed,” said Stephen Coleman (M.S. ’03), associate pastor at Richmond’s Reveille United Methodist Church.

His brother, William, received his master’s in health administration in 2003.

Derring wanted to see students thrive, Clay Coleman said.

“Both the School of Allied Health Professions and the School of Business were near and dear to my uncle’s heart,” Clay Coleman said. “Both set him on the path to establish a career. He invested in other people and wanted to help bring them along.”

To learn more about the School of Allied Health Professions, contact Jessica FeinbergGurganus, assistant dean for development and external affairs, at (804) 828-3269 or jfgurganus@vcu.edu. To learn more about the School of Business, contact Joey Broussard, director of major gifts, at (804) 827-7408 or jebroussard@vcu.edu.

Summer 2012 | 7

Golf tourneys net support for student-athletes

Eddie Johnson

Virginia Commonwealth University Athletics raised about $120,000 through two golf tournaments in May. First, the sixth annual VCU Janney Golf College-Am, hosted by Department of Surgery Chairman Dr. James P. Neifeld (M.D. ’72; H.S. ’78) and sponsored

by Allan Strange and Janney Montgomery Scott, was played May 5 at The Club at Viniterra in New Kent, Va. VCU golf team members, coaches and previous players joined 28 groups for a beautiful day of golf at the new course.

The event raised more than $17,000 for the golf program, doubling last year’s proceeds.

On May 13-14, the Cap Tech Drive Golf Classic & Auction was hosted by men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart and staff as 26 foursomes enjoyed golf at the Foundry followed by a reception and awards program. The night before, participants and donors to VCU Athletics came together for a reception and auction with VCU coaches and administration. The event raised more than $100,000 for the Ram Athletic Fund to support 250 VCU student-athletes.

For more information about the Ram Athletic Fund or the golf program, contact Vic Cegles, director of the Ram Athletic Fund, at (804) Coach Shaka Smart helps raise money for the Ram Athletic Fund at the Cap Tech Drive Golf Classic.

828-4771 or vpcegles@vcu.edu.

Education alumni, friends hear planned giving tips In May, the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education hosted the first in a series of information sessions offering facts and insightful ways alumni and friends can offer financial support to the university that will not impact their cash flow, lifestyle or family security.

“Gifts Anyone Can Afford – A Timely Topic with Expert Insight” included testimonials from Robert E. Marchant, Ph.D. (M.Ed. ’71), and now-retired interim Dean Michael D. Davis, Ph.D., and an overview from Tom Burke (B.S. ’79; M.P.A. ’95), associate vice president for development and alumni relations and executive director of the VCU Foundation.

The School of Education will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2014. To help mark the occasion, the school hopes to enroll 50 new members in the VCU Heritage Society. Heritage Society membership is accorded those who have made provisions for VCU’s Monroe Park Campus in their estate plans. These gifts include charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, charitable lead trusts, life insurance and bequests.

To learn more about planned giving in the School of Education, contact Magnus H. Johnsson (M.P.A. ’10; Cert. ’10), executive director of external affairs and development, at (804) 827-1363 or johnssonm@vcu.edu.

8 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

In 1978, Eugene V. White (second from right) received the Remington Honor medal, pharmacy’s highest honor, awarded by the American Pharmacists Association to recognize distinguished service.

Library gift shows changes in pharmacy field For prescription-bearing patients in today’s pharmacies, the consultation area is a safe haven for private discussions. Until 1960, however, these welcome areas rarely existed, and patients relied on their physicians for education about drug interactions and medication side effects.

The role of the pharmacist was that of a chemist, said Victor A. Yanchick, Ph.D., dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. “We weren’t even to mention the name of a drug to the person getting the prescription. We never had a record of what patients — then called ‘customers’ — were taking.”

Eugene V. White (B.S. ’50), he said, changed the way pharmacists practiced. “He really moved the profession light-years ahead of where we were at the time by developing a profile on each of his patients.”

White’s vision didn’t stop with record keeping. He removed the soda fountain, greeting cards and sundries from his pharmacy in Berryville, Va., and viewed the pharmacy as an integral part of health care and wellness.

“My father saw early on that patients were getting pushed aside for people buying cameras and other things,” said daughter Lynda White. “That’s why he made the decision to change his own pharmacy. He thought pharmacists were in a patient-care profession not a sales profession.”

White’s detailed index cards documenting his patients’ medications helped serve as a model for today’s computer-based health records management systems. He dedicated private space for patient consultations long before the practice was commonplace at pharmacies across the country.

White, who died in December 2011, donated his extensive collection of personal items to VCU’s Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences in 2010.

“The collection covers the bulk of his career, including materials dating from the late ’50s to his retirement in the mid-’90s,” said Jodi Koste, archivist and head of resources and operations at Tompkins-McCaw Library.

The collection includes photos of the Berryville pharmacy before its transformation and correspondence with people throughout Virginia, across the country and around the world.

“Many people were fascinated by his concepts and wrote to him. The collection documents his practice as a pharmacist and his interest in the pharmacy profession.

He was a pioneer in changing the practice of pharmacy,” she said.

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$1 million campaign for India Chair launches Before a crowd of more than 300, Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao and Gov. Bob McDonnell joined Virginia Commonwealth University leaders in launching a $1 million multiyear campaign to support an India Chair in Democracy and Civil Society.

It will be the first of its kind in the U.S. and will be housed in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs.

“The horizon is limitless for what we can do together,” Ambassador Rao said.

Ambassador Rao and McDonnell served as keynote speakers at the inaugural dinner, held April 2 at the Hilton Richmond Hotel and Spa/Short Pump.

McDonnell cited India’s increasing economic importance to Virginia, explaining that partnerships such as the India Chair are key to promoting economic growth and strengthening international relationships.

VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., said the India Chair provides an exciting opportunity for VCU, Richmond and Virginia.

The India Chair will lead the discussion about democracy Gov. Bob McDonnell shares a moment with Ambassador Nirupama Rao before the formal program. by bringing experts on Indian art, culture, history, politics, economics, business relations and related areas to campus and the surrounding community. Chair holders will make short-term visits or longer stays of up to a year and will host an array of speakers and events.

To learn more, contact Jen Thompson, director of external relations for the Wilder School, at (804) 828-2339 or jlthompson2@vcu.edu.

Library gift,

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In addition to his personal papers, White also gave $25,000 to the library to help organize, label and describe the collection so that the public can understand the breadth and depth of the materials.

“This is a very significant gift because this is how we build our research collections.

You don’t often find individuals who save their materials throughout their careers,” Koste said. “When you do find one, it’s a treasure trove. Dr. White’s is a rich collection that complements other manuscripts and archival collections that we have here at the library.”

The collection is expected to be available for viewing later this year.

A librarian, too, Lynda White took great care in helping guide her father’s significant gifts.

“VCU was his college. It has an archive, a very competent archivist and a reputation you can trust. VCU seemed the best place to send the papers because I knew they would be taken care of,” she said.

To learn more about the Tompkins-McCaw Library, contact Kimberly Separ (M.A. ’97), director of development at VCU Libraries, at (804) 827-1163 or krsepar@vcu.edu.

10 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Dean turns talent into way to help students A benefit art auction raised nearly $11,000 for Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy student scholarships. A selection of watercolors by School of Pharmacy Dean Victor A. Yanchick, Ph.D., was auctioned Feb. 3 at the VCU Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences. Lisa Schaffner, public relations and marketing director for UNOS, served as auctioneer.

The dean’s debut art exhibit opened in August 2011 at the library and ran through January 2012. Teresa Knott, Tompkins-McCaw Library director, introduced Yanchick at the Dean Victor A. Yanchick, Ph.D., prepares auction: “When we opened the exhibit, I quoted to sign a watercolor for a happy bidder.

Mary C. Taylor and will do so again: ‘Painting in watercolor is like walking a tightrope; one must achieve a perfect balance between what the paint wants to do and what the artist wants to do, or all is lost.’ It is my pleasure to introduce our tightrope-walking watercolorist, Dean Victor Yanchick.”

Yanchick, who has served as dean of the pharmacy school since 1996, took his first watercolor lessons 11 years ago. In the past several years, sales of his paintings have raised nearly $30,000 for School of Pharmacy scholarships. He also has donated watercolors for fundraising efforts by the Virginia Pharmacists Association, Family Lifeline/ CHIP of Richmond, ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Comfort Zone Camp.

Pro bono video spurs gifts to VCU Annual Fund Two Virginia Commonwealth University alumni found a unique way to give back to their alma mater. Emmy-winning director and producer Jesse Vaughan (B.S. ’80) and his assistant, Bryce Spivey (B.S. ’10), volunteered countless hours to develop a moving video, “Invest in VCU,” designed to raise dollars for the university’s annual fund.

The video theme bubbled up from several focus group sessions with VCU students, staff, faculty and alumni who all agreed that whether one worked at or attended VCU, the sacrifices and commitments made were indeed a significant investment in one’s life.

In all, more than 30 people participated in the video, which calls on viewers to invest in VCU by making a gift at www.investinvcu.org.

A 60-second version aired regionally on TV during the Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. During the CAA championship game against Drexel, the spot was seen in more than 35,000 households. During the third round of the NCAA Tournament game against Indiana, 16.3 percent of all television households in Richmond saw the spot.

The campaign to invest in VCU students marches on. To date, the video has been viewed nearly 5,000 times on YouTube and is one of the primary focal points for the newly created Office of Annual Giving in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.

“As an alumnus, this video gives me goose bumps and reaffirms my sense of pride in being a VCU grad. Anyone associated with VCU will be proud. Please watch it and share,” said Director of Annual Giving Strategy Michael P. Andrews (M.S. ’05).

To learn more, visit www.investinvcu.org or contact Michael P. Andrews, director of annual giving strategy, at (804) 828-0236 or andrewsmp@vcu.edu.

Summer 2012 | 11

Reception introduces new dean to community

Brian McDaniel

The Dean’s Society Committee of the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Humanities and Sciences hosted a reception April 24 to introduce the college’s new dean, Jim Coleman, Ph.D., to community leaders and to begin exploring potential partnerships between the college and area businesses.

The event was held at the home of Jeff and Karen Walker on Monument Avenue, and VCU alumnus and best-selling author David Baldacci (B.A. ’83; H.L.D. ’01) introduced the dean.

Baldacci’s introduction was preceded by remarks from three VCU students. Each spoke of the path that led them to VCU and Alumnus and author David Baldacci (left) and Richmonder discussed the value of their experiJeff Walker (right) help welcome new College of Humanities and Sciences Dean Jim Coleman, Ph.D. ences in the College of Humanities and Sciences.

Coleman closed the program, speaking about his passion for the transformative experience offered by VCU. The dean and members of the Dean’s Society Committee hope this reception marked the beginning of long-lasting relationships between the college and Richmond’s business community.

More photographs can be found at www.facebook.com/VCUCHS. To learn more about the College of Humanities and Sciences, contact Lois Badey, director of development and alumni relations, at (804) 827-0856 or labadey@vcu.edu.

New York alumni, donors visit with Rao, Smart

Michael Simon

On May 30, more than 60 Virginia Commonwealth University alumni, donors and friends gathered for a reception at the University Club in New York City.

Hoboken, N.J., Councilwoman Beth Mason (B.S. ’84; B.F.A. ’84) and husband Ricky Mason (B.S. ’83) hosted the evening, which featured special guests VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., and men’s head basketball coach Shaka Smart. Rao offered an update on the university, and Smart spoke about the team and his hopes for the upcoming season.

Ricky Mason (left), Shaka Smart, Michael Rao, Ph.D., and Beth Mason enjoy the Hoboken, N.J., reception in May.

12 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Mike Porter

The Virginia Communications Hall of Fame inducts 14 communications standouts, three of them posthumously, during a ceremony April 12, 2012, at the John Marshall Ballroom in Richmond, Va.

School inducts 14 members at annual event The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Mass Communications held its annual Virginia Communications Hall of Fame award ceremony April 12 at the John Marshall Ballroom in downtown Richmond. More than 200 guests were on hand to celebrate the induction of 14 new members into the Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame recognizes communication professionals with exceptional careers in journalism, public relations, advertising and other media fields. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the school’s Hall of Fame ceremony, and this year’s 14 inductees brought the total number of members to 140. The ceremony was hosted by past honoree Roger Mudd, an inductee from the founding Hall of Fame Class of 1986 and famed television journalist and broadcaster who began his career as a reporter for The Richmond News Leader.

The Hall of Fame event is made possible, in part, through corporate sponsorships.

This year’s sponsors were Dominion and the Dominion Foundation, CRT/tanaka, WWBT and Raycom, The Martin Agency, Cox, and the Virginia Association of Broadcasters.

Three VCU alumni were inducted into the Hall of Fame: TV news anchor Sabrina Squire (B.S. ’76), executive vice president of CRT/tanaka public relations Michael Whitlow (B.S. ’74) and H. Graham Woodlief (B.S. ’69), retired chief operating officer for Media General Inc. Squire is an award-winning veteran anchorwoman with Richmond’s NBC affiliate, WWBT-TV Channel 12, where she co-anchors four evening newscasts and writes and reports a weekly community affairs segment. Squire has spent more than three decades with NBC12, which has dominated local ratings and earned numerous awards.

Whitlow is an award-winning executive vice president at the public relations firm CRT/tanaka. His role as leader of the firm’s corporate practice has contributed to making CRT/tanaka the largest public relations firm with headquarters in Virginia.

Before joining CRT/tanaka, he spent 15 years in corporate public relations with Ethyl Corp. and Albemarle Corp.

Woodlief retired as vice president of Media General Inc. and president of its publishing division. As an active member of the community, he was named VCU’s School of Business Alumnus of the Year in 1999 and is currently chairman of the endowment fund and vice chairman and trustee at Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond.

Other inductees included Brad Armstrong, partner at The Martin Agency; Bob “Sailor Bob” Griggs, best known for his achievements in the world of children’s

✫ see Hall of Fame, continued on Page 14 Summer 2012 | 13

Paul (left) and Denny Covington, Rodney the Ram, Michael Rao, Ph.D., Dr. William Covington and Dr. David Sarrett, dental school dean, celebrate the announcement.

Surprise honors alumnus, boosts class gift The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry’s D.D.S. Class of 1962 was in the midst of its 50th reunion celebration when a surprise gift in honor of one special alumnus helped push the class gift beyond its lofty goal.

Former Dean Harry Lyons (D.D.S. ’23) left an indelible mark on graduates of the Class of 1962. At their reunion in April, the remaining class members chose to remember their mentor by creating the DDS Class of 1962 Harry Lyons Student Scholarship.

The class set a far-reaching goal of $300,000 and exceeded its expectations through a last-minute $50,000 pledge from Josée, Paul, Denny and William Covington.

Josée Covington, wife of Dr. William Covington (D.D.S. ’62) and head of Richmond-based Covington Travel, was unable to participate in the reunion celebration because of a previous business commitment in the Mediterranean. She sent a special message to VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., however, to be read at the reunion event. University mascot Rodney the Ram interrupted Rao during the president’s address to the class and personally delivered the special “telegRAM.” As Rao read the memo, the audience learned Covington’s wife and three sons had joined together to honor Covington and support his remarkable class. To make the day even better, Covington’s sons Paul (M.B.A. ’96) and Denny (B.S. ’90) emerged from an adjoining room to surprise their father as the news was shared.

The Class of 1962 holds a place of honor at the VCU School of Dentistry. Fifty years ago, as recent graduates and budding new dentists, every class member pledged to support the school with $1,000 during his lifetime. The gift and its donors inspired many classes that followed to make similarly generous gestures.

To learn more about the School of Dentistry, contact Gloria Callihan, associate dean for development and alumni relations, at (804) 828-8101 or gfcallihan@vcu.edu.

Hall of Fame,

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entertainment; William C. Hall Jr., vice president of executive communications for Dominion Resources; James Raper, founding editor of Monarch, the campus magazine of Old Dominion University; and Tyler Whitley, a retired Richmond Times-Dispatch journalist who spent 50 years in the field of political journalism. Robert Dementi, president of Dementi-Foster photography studios; Margie Fisher, award-winning reporter for the Roanoke Times and a pioneer in women’s journalism; Trafton Robertson, broadcast journalist; and Michael Salster, co-owner and former editor of The Amelia Bulletin Monitor were posthumously inducted into the Communications Hall of Fame.

14 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Scholarship honors a family’s dental legacy The term “family affair” is no understatement when it comes to the Kellihers from Fairfax, Va., where six of seven children followed their father, Jeremiah, into the dental profession. Three are alumni of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Dentistry.

Recognized as one of the region’s top dentists by Northern Virginia Magazine for three consecutive years, Dr. Dan Kelliher (D.D.S. ’84) practices in Fairfax, Va. Dr. Jerry Kelliher Jr. (D.D.S. ’85) and his brother Dr. Sean (D.D.S. ’02) practice alongside sisters Karen and Kathleen, dental hygienists, at Kelliher Family Dentists in Springfield, Va. Mother Rita is the practice manager. Another sister, Coleen, is a dental hygienist in Fredericksburg, Va. Brother Jimmy opted for an insurance career and provides a breath of fresh air at family gatherings “where discussions usually revolve around dentistry,” Sean Kelliher said.

Several years ago, one of those discussions among Dan, Jerry and Brothers Sean Kelliher (left), Jerry Jr. and Dan established a scholarship Sean was about how to to honor their father, Jeremiah Kelliher Sr. (second from left). honor their father in a special way.

“We have been forever inspired by our father and wanted to continue the legacy he created,” Dan Kelliher explained. “His leadership and support extends beyond our family and into the communities we serve.”

Honoring their father’s inspiration, the brothers decided to create a scholarship in his name. They turned to the VCU School of Dentistry because their dad became an alumnus without a home after the closure of Georgetown University’s dental school in 1990.

The brothers established the Jeremiah J. Kelliher Sr., D.D.S. Scholarship in 2011 with a pledge of $25,000 and presented their father with a framed letter announcing the scholarship at a family gathering during the Christmas holidays.

“It’s something that lasts,” Jerry Kelliher Jr. said. “For a family like ours, with a dental heritage, it seemed like the right thing to do.”

The scholarship was awarded for the first time in April 2012 to Dane Hernandez, a fourth-year student from Sterling, Va. “I feel so honored to be the first recipient of the Kelliher Scholarship,” she said. “This makes me think about giving back when I become a dentist. I feel like it’s the beginning of a cycle, once you’re helped, you feel like helping others. I’m very blessed and grateful.”

Scholarships are vitally important for students today according to David C. Sarrett, D.M.D., dean of the VCU School of Dentistry “The Kelliher legacy here at VCU is very meaningful to us and now Dr. Kelliher Sr., though a graduate of Georgetown’s School of Dentistry, has found a home here as well,” he said.

Scholarships, Sarrett said, are the School of Dentistry’s No. 1 fundraising priority.

The brothers are glad to be making a difference for the next generation of VCU students.

“VCU was challenging,” Jerry Kelliher Jr. said. “It was a great education. That was one of the reasons we wanted to help continue its tradition of being one of the best dental schools around.”

Brother Dan agreed.

“We Kellihers owe VCU a debt of gratitude.”

To make a gift to the School of Dentistry, contact Gloria Callihan, associate dean for development and alumni relations, at (804) 828-8101 or gfcallihan@vcu.edu.

Summer 2012 | 15

Couple joins the cancer fight with Massey gift

Delia Sullivan

Jen and Win Sheridan are all too familiar with the fight against cancer. Their lives have been deeply touched by the disease several times, inspiring the couple to commit $60,000 to the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center.

“Both of our mothers fought cancer,” Win Sheridan said. “My mother is a survivor, but unfortunately, when Jen was only 18, her mother lost her battle. Experiencing those two very different outcomes to this vicious disease makes it clear how much we still need to learn about how to fight it.”

Win Sheridan, who also lost an uncle to cancer, was introduced to Massey through associates of Apex Systems Inc., the company he cofounded and for which he serves as co-CEO. Impressed with Massey’s role as a leader in treating everyone, regardless of ability to afford care, with world-class, researchbased treatments, he decided to accept a position on the Massey Advisory Board and later took an active role in the Research for Life Campaign.

Recently, he and Jen made a $50,000 gift toward the Cabell Foundation Challenge to support Massey’s new research space in the VCU School of Medicine’s McGlothlin Massey supporters Jen and Win Sheridan hope their philanthropy Medical Education Center, helps create a cancer-free future for their daughter, Bentley. scheduled for completion in spring 2013.

“The more I have learned about the innovative research and collaborative work taking place at Massey, the more I want to be a part of it. I know Jen’s mother and my uncle would be proud to have their legacy live on in this way,” he said.

The Sheridans’ investment in the Research for Life Campaign comes in addition to a $10,000 renewal of their commitment to the Massey Club, Massey’s leadership annual giving society.

“Scientific research is a long-term investment, no doubt about it,” Win Sheridan said. “But the flexibility of the annual fund to meet immediate needs and respond to opportunities is equally crucial.”

The Sheridans’ Massey Club gift was made in honor of Win’s mother, Sally Sheridan, and their Research for Life commitment was made in memory of his uncle, Michael Casey, and Jen’s mother, Sherry Millard.

“We believe in Massey’s mission of eliminating suffering caused by cancer. Our hope is that our daughter won’t have to witness her loved ones fight this disease the way we have,” Jen Sheridan said.

To learn more about the Cabell Foundation Challenge, the Research for Life Campaign or the Massey Club, please visit www.massey.vcu.edu or call Lee Boykin, director of major gifts, at (804) 827-0600.

16 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Institute for Contemporary Art wows alumni The Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts’ Dean Joe Seipel traveled the country this spring to share news of the planned Institute for Contemporary Art with alumni.

First stop: the Manny Silverman Gallery in West Hollywood in February.

“I think the ICA is fantastic. It’s very forward-looking, and I think it will give highprofile exposure to VCU,” said film, TV and theme-park composer William T. Kidd III, D.M.A. (B.M. ’78; M.M. ’82).

VCU alumnus Dick Robertson (B.S. ’67; H.L.D. ’05), retired president of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, co-hosted the event.

In April, Seipel publicly unveiled the ICA designs with the opening of ICA architect Steven Holl’s exhibit “Forking Time” at New York City’s Meulensteen Dick (left) and Olga Robertson join Dean Joe Seipel in Gallery. “Forking Time” includes 30 prothanking Manny Silverman for hosting arts alumni at his cess models, a series of Holl’s exploratory gallery in Los Angeles. watercolors and a digital presentation to provide an in-depth view of the ICA’s design evolution. VCU alumni and friends enjoyed a preview and reception to celebrate the show.

Just weeks later, alumni and friends experienced a Holl design firsthand with a visit to the Swiss ambassador’s stunning residence in Washington, D.C. The event toasted the ICA and Holl’s recent American Institute for Architects’ Gold Medal win.

Next stop: Richmond. “Forking Time” will show Sept. 13 through Oct. 7 at the Virginia Center for Architecture.

To learn more about the Institute for Contemporary Art, contact Julia Carr, executive director of development for the School of the Arts, at (804) 828-4676 or carrj@vcu.edu.

Dental graduates raise the bar for senior giving

GradImages

Each school year, graduating students from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry can choose to participate in the time-honored tradition of senior giving. Through a combination of gifts and pledges, the D.D.S. and dental hygiene classes of 2012 raised the bar by contributing a record-setting total of $153,300.

These new dentists and dental hygienists designated their gifts and pledges in special ways to contribute to the success of future students. Dental hygiene graduates directed their funds to establishing a scholarship for students in the dental hygiene program. This endowed scholarship will be the first of its kind at the VCU School of Dentistry. The D.D.S. Class of 2012 focused its giving on creating opportunities to lower the cost of procedures for patients in need. The cost for complex dental treatment can hinder patients from visiting student dentists who need the experience to ready themselves for private practice and continuing education.

To learn more about the School of Dentistry, contact Gloria Callihan, associate dean for development and alumni relations, at (804) 828Senior dental hygiene class leaders present their class 8101 or gfcallihan@vcu.edu. pledges at the 2012 hooding ceremony.

Summer 2012 | 17

Development team welcomes new members Gloria Callihan Associate dean for development and alumni relations School of Dentistry (804) 828-8101 gfcallihan@vcu.edu Formerly: Assistant vice chancellor of development, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Bethanie G. Constant, CFRE

Assistant director of development and alumni relations College of Humanities and Sciences (804) 828-4543 constantb@vcu.edu Formerly: Development manager at UMFS

Gregg R. Johnson Director of communications College of Humanities and Sciences (804) 827-1351 grjohnson@vcu.edu Formerly: Director of development and marketing, Gay Community Center of Richmond

Heather E. Millar Manager of alumni/marketing special projects Department of Health Administration, School of Allied Health Professions (804) 828-5220 hemillar@vcu.edu Formerly: Advancement consultant, Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

Lauren Moore Major gifts officer for clinical programs MCV Foundation (804) 828-5518 lzmoore@vcu.edu Formerly: Development officer, Children’s Health Corridor, Minnesota Medical Foundation

Lauren Stewart (B.S. ’10; M.S. ‘11) Assistant director for development and alumni relations School of Mass Communications (804) 827-3761 stewartla@vcu.edu Formerly: Marketing coordinator, Home Care Delivered Inc.

18 | The Power of Personal Philanthropy

Event raises awareness for cancer research

Fran Householder

Shades of pink and red always brighten Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center’s Valentine-themed Women & Wellness breakfast and luncheon, but the 2012 event, held Feb. 7, also featured a plethora of ruby-colored lips, in honor of keynote speaker, Geralyn Lucas. Lucas, a breast cancer survivor and author of the bestselling book-turned-TV movie, “Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy,” has made her bold red lipstick her signature — symbolizing the empowerment, strength and femininity she discovered after undergoing a mastectomy at 27.

Lucas brought her candid, humorous and inspiring story to more than 600 Richmonders who attended Women & Wellness, which was presented by the Women & Wellness event chair Barbara Brown (left) Jenkins Foundation for the 17th year. congratulates Geralyn Lucas on her moving speech.

Along with her personal experience, Lucas shared her mission of encouraging women to make their cancer screenings a priority and removing the myth of the “ouch factor” associated with mammograms.

Women & Wellness also featured the Jewels for a Cure raffle. Attendees could purchase a chance at one of 12 sparkling pieces generously donated by 12 Richmondarea jewelers, raising more than $13,000 toward the event’s proceeds.

With the help of other major sponsors — Wells Fargo and the Stonehenge Breast Cancer Golf Tournament — the event raised more than $170,000, bringing the 17-year total to more than $2.1 million for women’s cancer research at Massey.

Event chair Barbara Brown, Ph.D. (B.S. ’70; Ph.D. ’87), brought a very personal passion to her leadership of the 40-woman volunteer committee.

“I believe that we can eventually cure cancer, but it takes time, research and money,” Brown said. “Time will take care of itself. Research will get done. But money makes it possible to make more progress in less time. We can’t all be researchers, but we can all support their efforts so that none of us has to lose another husband, wife, son, daughter, mother, father or sibling.”

The 2013 event is Feb. 5 and will feature author Lee Woodruff.

For more information, contact Stephanie Jenks, assistant director of special events, at (804) 827-0642 or sjenks@vcu.edu.

Dentistry alumni, students tee up for scholarships The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry kicked off the 2012 Reunion and Alumni Weekend with some friendly competition for a good cause.

More than 120 alumni, students, parents and sponsors participated in the seventh annual Alumni/Student Golf Invitational to benefit class activities and the School of Dentistry General Scholarship Fund.

In spring 2012, 37 scholarships helped deserving students, up from 20 in 2011.

The number will continue to grow thanks to the $30,000 raised through this year’s tournament.

Dr. John C. Doswell II (D.D.S. ’79), chair of the MCV Foundation board of trustees and incoming rector of the VCU Board of Visitors, served as the esteemed master of ceremonies for the tournament. A 30-member dental and dental hygiene student committee spent countless hours planning the tournament. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful spring day, and four excited dental students came home with the coveted trophy.

Summer 2011 | 19

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