Loma Linda University eScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & Creative Works TODAY 4-1-2011 TODAY - April 1, 2011 Loma Linda University Follow this and additional works at: hp://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/today Part of the Other Medicine and Health Sciences Commons is Newsleer is brought to you for free and open access by eScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & Creative Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in TODAY by an authorized administrator of eScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & Creative Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Recommended Citation Loma Linda University, "TODAY - April 1, 2011" (2011). TODAY. hp://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/today/66
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Loma Linda UniversityTheScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research,Scholarship & Creative Works
TODAY
4-1-2011
TODAY - April 1, 2011Loma Linda University
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/today
Part of the Other Medicine and Health Sciences Commons
This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by TheScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research, Scholarship & CreativeWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in TODAY by an authorized administrator of TheScholarsRepository@LLU: Digital Archive of Research,Scholarship & Creative Works. For more information, please contact [email protected].
Recommended CitationLoma Linda University, "TODAY - April 1, 2011" (2011). TODAY.http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/today/66
LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY BEHAVIORAL MEDICINECENTER | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER – EAST CAMPUS | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY HEALTH CARE | LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY HEART & SURGICAL HOSPITALFACULTY MEDICAL GROUP OF LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | FACULTY PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS OF LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
ALUMNI POSTGRADUATE CONVENTION
By James Ponder
An estimated 850 former students, alumni,and friends returned to the campus of
Loma Linda University School of Medicine(LLUSM) for the 79th annual postgraduateconvention (APC) weekend,March 4–7.
Annual postgraduate convention offersfellowship, fun, learning, and worship
As it does every year, the event offered equalparts fun, fellowship, continuing education, andworship, but for the second year in a row, guestsenjoyed the convenience of a central location.
Dennis E. Park, MA, executive director of thealumni association of the School of Medicine(AASM), and host of the APC, says the abilityto hold classes, lectures, and exhibits in oneplace made a big difference.
“APC 2011 will go down in the history books asone of the nicest APC homecoming weekendsin recent memory because the alumni associa-tion was again able to house its registration,technical exhibits, scientific poster session, andscientific lectures in the Centennial Complex,”Mr. Park notes.
Carolyn O. Weider, APC convention manager,agrees. “It was great for attendees along with thestaff because they didn’t have to navigate fromthe technical exhibits to classes that were previ-ously strung all over campus. It worked excep-tionally well.”
Many visitors arrived on campus two days earlyto attend the 23rd annual cardiology sympo-sium. Although not officially connected with
APC, the symposium is timed to coincide withthe convention in order to accommodate indi-viduals whowish to attend both events.
The APC officially began on Friday, March 4,with a devotional at 7:45 a.m. A presentation by
Nikan Khatibi, MD, MBA, the anesthesia resi-dent who received the Thomas J. Zirkle Awardfor outstanding APC abstract poster, followed.Dr. Khatibi’s presentation was one of 108 scien-tific posters submitted by faculty, residents,fellows, andmedical students.
The morning plenary sessions on cardiology,palliative care, and rheumatology began at 9:20.A box lunch symposium on anesthesia followedat 12:30. The final plenary session of the day
Dennis E. Park, MA, executive directorof the alumni association of theSchool of Medicine (AASM), receivedthe Iner Shield-Ritchey PresidentialAward in recognition of his 17 yearsas head of the organization during theannual APC banquet.
Blue skies echoed the sentiment of a large sign welcoming Loma Linda Univer-sity School of Medicine alumni to the 79th annual postgraduate convention(APC), which was held the weekend of March 4–7 inside the Centennial Complex.According to A.T. Tuot, manager of records and system manager for the alumniassociation of the School of Medicine, which sponsors the event, “The overalltotal of 850 attendees to the convention represents a very strong turnout.”
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UNIVERSITYRECEIVESHIGHMARKS
LLU earns praise and reaccreditationfrom WASC CommissionBy Dustin R. Jones
The Western Association of Schools andColleges (WASC) has reaffirmed Loma
Linda University’s accreditation across alleight schools for the maximum period oftime—10 years.
The accreditation team was on campusOctober 27 to 29, 2010. The team’s reportvalidates the university’s commitment tomission-focused learning.
“This finding couldn’t be better,” says RonCarter, PhD, provost of Loma Linda Univer-sity. “The intentional focus was scienceembedded in a faith community. There weremany team members who were unaware of thedepth and breadth of LLU’s reach into the localand global community.”
The institutional proposal to WASC fromLLU outlined three themes and related
outcomes for the comprehensive review: faithand normative culture, mission-focusedlearning, and strengthening a culture ofevidence. The WASC team affirmed that theseselected themes “resulted in serious and benefi-cial engagement across the institution” duringthe phases of the review process.
Mission-focused learning has become an impor-tant theme on campus, underscoring the univer-sity’s commitment to providing an approach tohigher education that blends the professionalwith the personal, helping graduates toapproach their health care profession not as amere job, but as a calling to service.
“Mission-focused learning prepares students fora dedicated lifelong journey of service tomankind,” says Dr. Carter. “And this wasrecognized by the review team.”
Lowell C. Cooper, MDiv, MPH, chair, LomaPlease turn to page 2
By Herbert Atienza
Loma Linda University Medical Center hasbeen ranked No. 1 in Riverside-San
Bernardino counties in U.S. News & WorldReport’s first-ever Best Hospitals metro arearankings. The rankings are available online at<www.usnews.com/hospitals>.
Of all 41 hospitals in the metropolitan areaencompassing the Inland Empire and CoachellaValley, Loma Linda University Medical Centerreceived the top ranking, with seven specialtiesidentified as “high performing”—cancer;diabetes and endocrinology; eye, nose andthroat; gynecology; kidney disorders;pulmonology; and urology.
The new rankings recognize 622 hospitals in ornear major cities with a record of high perfor-mance in key medical specialties, including 132
LLUMC ranks No. 1 in Riverside-SanBernardino counties in U.S. News & WorldReport Best Hospitals metro area rankings
MEDICAL CENTER RANKEDNO. 1
of the 152 hospitals already identified as thebest in the nation. There are nearly 5,000 hospi-tals nationwide.
U.S. News & World Report created Best Hospi-tals more than 20 years ago to identify healthcare facilities that are exceptionally skilled inhandling the most difficult cases, such as braintumors typically considered inoperable, anddelicate pancreatic procedures.
The new metro area rankings are relevant to amuch wider range of health care consumers.They are aimed primarily at those whose caremay not demand the special expertise foundonly at a nationally-ranked BestHospital.
Patients and their families will have a far betterchance of finding a U.S. News & WorldReport-ranked hospital in their health insur-
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TODAY 2 Friday, April 1, 2011
began at 1:45 p.m., when A. Dean Sherzai,MD, assistant professor of neurology, deliveredthe Cyril B. Courville Memorial Lectureship on“Cognitive Aging, Dementia, andWhat Can BeDone About It.” Sarah Uffindell, MD,instructor in neurology at LLUSM, was sched-uled to share the lectureship with Dr. Sherzaibut was unable to attend. Jeffrey A. Bounds,MD, JD, associate professor of neurology, led apanel discussion instead.
Friday evening vespers launched the spiritualweekend in the sanctuary of the Loma LindaUniversity Church. The program featured theCal Baptist University Men’s Chorus andOrchestra under the baton of Judd Bonner,DMA, associate dean of the Shelby and FerneCollinsworth School of Music at Cal Baptist.Saul Barcelo, MA, associate pastor at theCalimesa Seventh-day Adventist Church,offered a devotional homily with the help of anumber of LLUSM students.
Randy Roberts, DMin, MFT, senior pastor ofLLU Church, spoke for both church servicesSaturday morning on the topic of “The BestThing You Can Do for Others.” Members ofthe anniversary classes of 1961 and 1986 partic-ipated in both services.
In the afternoon, Ed Krick, MD, president ofthe Association of International MedicalServices, Inc. (AIMS), welcomed attendees tothe AIMS annual meeting and mission sympo-sium. The program featured a presentationregarding the LLU response to the crisis inHaiti by Scott Nelson, MD; an overview ofoverseas missions from G.T. Ng, secretary ofthe General Conference of Seventh-day Adven-tists; and an update on the student missionprogram on campus. At the end of the meeting,Carl L. Bauer, Benjamin H. Lau, andWalter C.Thompson—members of the classes of 1961,1980-A, and 1961 respectively—received the2011 SIMS Global Mission Award for theirparticipation or support of worldmissions.
“Go Ye Into All theWorld” was the theme of amemorable Saturday evening vespers sponsoredby the national auxiliary to the School of Medi-cine alumni association. Mission stories andreports from Loma Linda graduates in Africa,Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Japan, Thailand, andother areas brought the international scope ofLLU’s mission into focus. The Saturday nightprogram featured Grammy-nominatedrecording artist Steve Green and Gospel MusicHall of Fame member Larnelle Harris, whoperformed to a near-capacity audience in LLUChurch. Back-up music was provided by an 80-voice, multi-faith choir led by O.D. Hall andOlin Ritchey.
Sunday, March 6, was a full day. Technicaldisplays from 34 exhibitors were open begin-ning at 10:00 a.m.
The Walter E. Macpherson MemorialLectureship featured internationally recog-nized author Caldwell N. Esselstyn, MD, in apresentation titled “Ending the CoronaryHeart Disease Epidemic—Making YourselfHeart Attack Proof.”
The Roger W. Barnes Memorial Lectureshipfeatured three surgeons—Maheswari Senthil,MD; Arvand Elihu, MD; and Nephthali R.Gomez, MD—who spoke on cancer, kidney,and hernia surgery respectively.
Daylong presentations on ophthalmology,orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, and plasticsurgery, as well as plenary sessions on psychi-atry, dermatology, evidence-based woundmanagement, marriage, retirement, andwomen as physicians rounded out the verypacked schedule.
Saturday and Sunday evenings featured classreunions for members of more than 25 differentLLUSM classes at a variety of Southern Cali-fornia locations.
The final day of APC—Monday, March 7—
featured lectures and question/answer sessionson a variety of topics related to nutrition,lifestyle, and chronic disease; risk assessmentand treatment options in childhood obesity;nutritional management after bariatric surgery;plant-based diets and childhood obesity preven-tion; Vitamin D and chronic disease; and dietand colorectal cancer.
The 79th APC banquet—which was heldMonday, March 7, at 7:00 p.m. in the EmpireBallroom of the DoubleTree Hotel at OntarioAirport—was the social highlight of the entireconvention. Master of ceremonies DennisPark welcomed guests to the event and intro-duced Pastor Randy Roberts, who deliveredthe invocation. Following dinner, outgoingAASM President Philip H. Reiswig, MD,and incoming President Gary R. Barker, MD,welcomed the 2011 honored alumni recipi-ents—Linda H. Ferry, MD (class of 1979-B);Anton N. Hasso, MD, (class of 1967);Rebecca J. Patchin, MD (class of 1989); ElsieA. Tupper, MD (Class of 1953-A); BeverlyCox Wiebe, MD, and Henry Wiebe, MD(both from the class of 1961); and Lester N.Wright, MD (class of 1969)—to the stage.Members of the honored classes of 2011,1986, 1961, and 1951 were presented next,followed by remarks from H. Roger Hadley,MD, School of Medicine dean, and RichardH. Hart, MD, DrPH, president of LomaLinda University.
No one was more surprised than Dennis Park,MA, when a documentary video titled “AMoment in Time” turned out to be a tribute tohis remarkable 17 years as executive director ofthe alumni association. At the conclusion of thevideo—which featured tributes and accoladesfrom a large number of his associates andcolleagues—he was treated to a thunderousstanding ovation. The presentation was madeall the more poignant by Mr. Park’s recentlyannounced decision to step down from his posi-tion on September 30 of this year. As theapplause subsided,Mr. Park was escorted to thestage to receive the Iner Shield-Ritchey Presi-dential Award fromDr. Reiswig.
When it came time to announce the Alumnusof the Year for 2011, Lawrence D. Longo, MD,director of the Center for Perinatal Biology atLLUSM, stepped to the podium to introduceDavid J. Baylink, MD (class of 1957), aswinner. Dr. Baylink is something of an icon atthe School of Medicine; as an endocrinologistand researcher, his reputation for excellence isknown throughout the world.
According to A.T. Tuot, manager of recordsand system manager for AASM, attendancewas very good for this year’s convention—espe-cially in this economy.
“Approximately 350 people participated in thecontinuing education courses,” Mr. Tuot notes.“The overall total of 850 attendees to theconvention represents a very strong turnout.”
Annual postgraduate convention offers fellowship, learning, and worship …Continued from page 1
Linda University Board of Trustees, andgeneral vice president, General Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists, was pleased with theresults in the quest for academic excellence.
“The accreditation visits by WASC personnelare a very important way of helping Loma LindaUniversity assess its performance in and faith-
fulness to its mission,” says Pastor Cooper. “It isparticularly gratifying when such visits confirmand affirm that the university is performing wellwithin the framework of its mission.
“The Board of Trustees is grateful to the wholeuniversity family for the results of the accredita-tion self-study and the accreditation team’s
Loma Linda University earns praise and reaccred-itation from WASC Commission …
Continued from page 1
By Doug Hackleman
Loma Linda University School of Dentistryalumni association dental hygiene co-presi-
dents (and mother-daughter classmates) PattiLyon and Kelli Lyon Alexander hosted theannual dental hygiene and assistant luncheon atSan Bernardino’s Arrowhead Country Clubduring the school’s February 2011 alumnistudent convention.
Besides feting the 11 honored alumni classes(beginning with the class of 1961), the home-coming luncheon was also the occasion for thepresentation of two department of dentalhygiene annual awards: the Student of the YearandAlumna of the Year awards.
Janeen Duff, MA, assistant professor, dentalhygiene department, presented dental hygienesenior Angela Wakefield with the 2011Student of the Year Award.
Determined by the dental hygiene faculty eachyear, the award acknowledges the recipient forboth academic and clinical achievement. Ms.
School of Dentistry department of dentalhygiene honors alumna and student
EXCELLENCE INDENTALHYGIENE
Wakefield “is in the top of her class academi-cally and is patient, sociable, and giving withclassmates,” said Ms. Duff. “She has a greatsense of humor, and some would call her a bit ofan actress, as evidenced in role-playing exercisesin class! She applies what she has learned acade-mically and synthesizes it into the clinical envi-ronment with confidence.”
One faculty member said, “I would allow her toclean my teeth now before graduation!” Anotherfaculty member said, “She’s good with patients,is refreshing, respectful, and always teachable inwanting to learn new things during clinic.”
Ms.Wakefield was the first in her class to finishher eligibility requirements, and it was the judg-ment of her mentors that “she is a stickler for anattention to detail and thoroughness with clin-ical procedures.”
Ms. Duff suggested thatMs.Wakefield’s degreein business management had “enabled her tohone her exceptional interpersonal skills withpatient education, as she counsels patients like aseasoned veteran.”
Ms. Wakefield has continued to work parttime, while staying on the dean’s list during herrigorous course of study in dental hygiene.
Department of dental hygiene Chair KristiWilkins, MA, presented Darlene Cheek,MPH, with the 2011 Alumna of the Yearaward as “an outstanding dental hygienist andalumna who has served her community, ourprofession, and hundreds of students so wellduring her 40-year tenure.”
Ms. Wilkins reviewed Ms. Cheek’s clinicalcareer that began in the San Francisco Bay areain the early 1970s, before a call to Johannes-burg, South Africa, in the mid 1970s providedher an opportunity to extend the school’sinfluence to a dental teaching hospital whereshe was offered the position of director. “Ipersonally crossed paths with our Alumna ofthe Year while she was an assistant professorof dental hygiene in the late 70s and early 80s,”Ms.Wilkins recalled.
In 1978, Ms. Cheek earned a master of publichealth degree with an emphasis in healtheducation from Loma Linda University’sSchool of Public Health. She was elected intothe Delta Omega Honorary Public HealthSociety, where she served as secre-tary/treasurer. She also served as facultyadvisor for the LLU Student American Dental
Hygiene Association (SADHA) and was acontributor to the State of California’s 1980Curriculum Guide on Dental Disease Preventionfor Pre-school to 6th Grade Teachers.
While raising her family, Ms. Cheek practicedfull time throughout Redlands, Rialto, Yucaipa,and Rubidoux, serving her patients and dentistemployers with the Loma Linda University
Janeen Duff, MA, presents AngelaWakefield with the 2011 Student of theYear Award plaque.
Continued next page
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TODAY3Friday, April 1, 2011
Contributed report
Edward J. Larson, PhD, Pulitzer-prize-winning author, will lecture on “George
McCready Price at the Crossroads ofCreationism’s History.” The event will takeplace at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, May 21, in theDamazo Amphitheater, Centennial Complex,on the Loma LindaUniversity campus.
Mr. Price was an Adventist who taught at LLU.Dr. Larson is an American historian and legalscholar at Pepperdine University, who special-izes in religion and science issues. His Summerfor the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’sContinuing Debate over Science and Religion wonthe 1998 Pulitzer prize for history.
Brian Bull, MD, professor and chair for thedepartment of pathology and human anatomy,LLU School of Medicine, and Ben Clausen,PhD, Geoscience Research Institute researcher,will make brief responses. A question andanswer session will follow. The event is spon-sored by the School of Religion. For more infor-mation, contact the school at (909) 558-4536.
Pulitzer-prize-winning author to discussScopes trial at May 21 event
Edward J. Larson, PhD
FEATUREDAUTHOR
American Health Care Congressexpands beyond Loma Linda UniversityBy Heather Reifsnyder
Born at LLU School of Public Health, theAmerican Health Care Congress went in a
new direction this past December during itsseventh year.
Under the leadership of LLU, the congress—designed to start a non-partisan conversationabout health care reform—grew to take on a lifeof its own, attracting as many as 1,000 partici-pants at one point.
Now, in a post-reform climate, Loma LindaUniversity has endowed the congress to anational health care leadership organization inorder for the discussion to continue on an evenwider scale as the nation looks to implementnew health care legislation.
The 2010 event took place in Irvine onDecember 7 and 8 under the auspices of theMassachusetts-basedWorld Congress.
This organization runs numerous health caresummits and conferences, including its majorWorld Health Care Congress on the nation’sEast Coast, in Europe, and in theMiddle East.
But Loma Linda University remains involved inthe American Health Care Congress, particu-larly through the School of Public Health’shealth policy and leadership program.
LLU’s agreement withWorld Congress ensuresfuture inclusion of students, who were anotherkey motivation for the congress’ founding in2004 by Dora Barilla, DrPH, assistantprofessor of health policy and management,School of PublicHealth.
“Now that health reform has passed, we wantedto expand the conversation and continue to giveour students opportunities to network with keyleaders in health care,” says Dr. Barilla. “Andthis was a way to do that on a national level.That was really why I started the conference—to give students an opportunity to be engaged inthe conversation and network.”
Students earning their doctorates in leadership
will remain involved with the congress in severalways for the next few years. First, they will beresponsible for planning a leadership summit,open to all conference goers, in which they willeither speak or invite others to present.
The doctoral students will also present theRandall Lewis Leadership Award, which comeswith a $1,000 check thanks to a three-yearcommitment for funding from the real estatedeveloper for which it’s named.
Students crafted the criteria on which the awardis bestowed; the idea is for Loma Linda Univer-sity to play a role in developing the concept ofleadership. A call for nominations is sent out tothe Southern California region.
On the first day of the 2010 conference,December 7, leadership doctoral studentShirley Simmons presented the first-annualaward to winner Roldan Aguilar, communityoutreach specialist at San Antonio Commu-nity Hospital.
Also that day, the LLU students participated inthe first-annual LLU Leadership Conferenceheld in conjunction with the American HealthCare Congress.
In the morning, they had their own privatesession withDavid Penner, PhD, director of thedoctorate in leadership, along with Dr. Barillaand Eileen Fry-Bowers, JD, MS, assistantprofessor of health policy and leadership.
During this morning session, both cohorts ofstudents currently going through the leader-ship program—the first-ever cohort, now inyear one of the program, and the secondcohort currently completing its orientationyear—came together for only the second timeto learn about each other, as well as hear fromthe faculty what the future of the programholds for them.
During the afternoon, the students attended theleadership summit planned by LLU as part ofthe whole congress, which took place before astanding-room-only crowd.
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HEALTHCARE CONGRESS
Kristi Wilkins, MA, presents theAlumna of the Year Award to DarleneCheek, MPH.
dental hygiene brand—Christ’s compassion andwhole-person care with a soft touch.
An inveterate contributor to her church and itsinstitutions, Ms. Cheek volunteers withacademy home and school associations, as a
Continued from previous page
Sabbath school teacher, and in the Loma LindaUniversity Church chamber and sanctuaryorchestras. She is a 40-year member of theAmerican Dental Hygiene Association, recentlyserved for two years as president of the Tri-County Dental Hygienists’ Society, and mostrecently as trustee to the California DentalHygiene Association and the American DentalHygiene Association.
After months of personal reflection in 2005,Ms. Cheek returned to full-time teaching at theSchool of Dentistry, where she oversees thecommunity health curriculum, dental healtheducation, advanced clinical techniques atnumerous off-site clinical rotations, and spendshundreds of hours a year planning studentinvolvement in health fairs, dental screenings,and volunteer clinics. Currently she chairs theSchool of Dentistry’s treatment of tobacco-dependent patients committee.
Ms. Cheek is actively involved with the Societyfor Research on Nicotine and Tobacco,including co-presenting research in 2009 at theannual session inDublin, Ireland.
Ms. Wilkins affirmed the words of thestudents who voted Ms. Cheek 2008 Teacher
of the Year: “… hard times on clinic and inclass she gave us contagious hope and moti-vated us to persevere … with her comforting
Gregory Davis, DDS (third from left), sits with his daughter and some of herdental hygiene (2011) classmates (from left): Caroline Schneider, JessicaKubrock, (Dr. Davis), Danae Davis, Noelle Snyder, and Jordyn Gascay.
touch in times of stress—her delighted touchin times of celebration—her caring touch allthe times in between.”
Dental hygiene graduates from the class of 1981 include (from left) GlendaPogue, Sheryl Worth, Karen Agee, Darlene Niderost, Joanne McGill, JaneenDuff, and Karen Ellstrom.
Oops! our mistake …In theMarch 16TODAY,we gave
Teleka Calderon herMD. She is actu-ally a medical student in the LLUSchool
ofMedicineMD/PhD program.
TODAY 4 Friday, April 1, 2011
By Heather Reifsnyder
Food choice is more than a matter of taste;economic, physical, and social conditions
also determine what we eat. That’s whatapproximately 400 people learned who attendedthe Healthy People 2011 conference put on bythe LLU School of Public Health March 8 and9. And in turn, the foods people eat impact notonly their personal health but also the environ-ment, the economy, and society.
The conference studied food from these variousangles, with speakers ranging from physiciansand public health experts to lawyers and policyadvocates. The two keynote addresses weredelivered by Caldwell Esselstyn, MD, of theCleveland Clinic, author of Prevent and ReverseHeart Disease, and Jane Brody, a New YorkTimes health columnist and author of the best-selling Jane Brody’s Good Food Book and JaneBrody’s Nutrition Book.
Attendee Sarah Turner, MD, states that theconference stressed the importance of commu-nity planning and policy. It also addressedpoints directly related to her work as a familypractice and preventive medicine resident. “It’s
School of Public Health conferenceexamines food from all angles
HEALTHYPEOPLE CONFERENCE
Jeffrey Smith, MBA, discusses genetically modified foods on the conference’ssecond day.
so applicable to the patient population we’reserving,” she says. “A lot of the time, lifestyleinterventions are more economical and haveimproved health outcomes.”
Other topics included the slow food movement,the high cost of cheap food, food marketingaimed at children and adolescents, and the envi-ronmental costs of agriculture and the foodindustry. One key speaker was Jeffrey Smith,MBA, an author and founder of the Institutefor Responsible Technology—a world leader ineducating the public and policy makers abouthealth risks of genetically modified food.
Attendee Patrick Scalzitti found himself inter-ested in the ideas presented by Mr. Smith,whom he reports was able to convince listenersto pay closer attention to what they’re buyingand eating. “Overall, the conference was veryinformative and opened my eyes to the hiddensecrets of the food industry,” he says.
The conference also presented the upcomingdocumentary “Forks Over Knives” two monthsahead of its May 6 theater release. The filmexamines the claim that most degenerativediseases can be controlled or reversed by
eschewing the common diet of animal-basedand processed foods.
During the conference, the School of PublicHealth also hosted an expo with representativesfrom activist organizations, health organizationssuch as the American Heart Association, publichealth agencies, and nutrition vendors.
Exhibitor Stephanie Georgieff, president of theRedlands, California, chapter of Slow Food
USA, said that Healthy People 2011 is the typeof conference her organization would puttogether if it had the resources.
Healthy People is an annual health andlifestyle conference devoted to moving Ameri-cans in a healthier direction. Organized by theSchool of Public Health at Loma LindaUniversity, its beginnings date back to the1970s, though it was first called HealthyPeople about the year 1990.
HEALTHRESEARCH
By Patricia Thio
Every week in the United States, 200 peopleare diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
(MS)—a chronic, often disabling disease thatattacks the central nervous system. Symptomscan be mild such as numbness in limbs, orsevere, such as paralysis and loss of vision.
But before these patients are diagnosed withMS, most have gone through months or evenyears of health tests. During that time, theirsymptoms typically growworse.
Professors in the School of Science and Tech-nology (SST) and School of Pharmacy (SP) arestriving to alleviate symptoms in MS patients,thanks to anNIH $1.3million grant.
By using cutting-edge technology, the LLUresearchers plan to develop new techniques tomore accurately diagnose MS earlier, beforepatients experience severe symptoms.
When any part of the nerve, which consists ofan axon covered by myelin sheath, is damagedor destroyed, nerve impulses traveling to andfrom the brain and spinal cord are distorted orinterrupted, producingMS symptoms.
This potentially leads to permanent neurolog-ical impairment.
However, there currently isn’t a way to specifyaxon degeneration, meaning that some patientsreceive ineffective treatment. In MS, the earlierand less severe damage is caused by inflamma-tion in the myelin sheath, followed by moresevere damage to the axon.
While the first kind of damage can be detected,the second type occurs when prolonged inflam-
NIH awards $1.3 million to Schools ofScience and Technology, and Pharmacy
Shu-Wei (Richard) Sun, PhD (left), assistant professor of biophysics and bioengi-neering at the LLU School of Science and Technology, and principal investigatorof the study; and Wei-Xing Shi, PhD, professor of pharmaceutical sciences andbasic sciences at the LLU School of Pharmacy and School of Medicine, and co-investigator of the study, begin neurological research with the goal to help thoseliving with multiple sclerosis.
mation triggers axonal dying-back degeneration,resulting in permanent neuronal loss.
Currently, this type of damage has beenneglected in MS because there is no tool fornon-invasive detection.
“Treatments for MS have focused onsuppressing the occurrences of inflammation,and very little on the more critical neural protec-tion,” says Shu-Wei (Richard) Sun, PhD, assis-tant professor of biophysics and bioengineering,SST, and principal investigator of the study,“Understanding Neuronal and Axonal Degen-eration in aMurineModel ofHumanMS.”
Most MS patients exhibit cycles of relapsingand remitting along the disease progression.“We suspect that this cycle may relate to theprogression from early inflammatory disorderto the process of neurodegeneration,” says Dr.Sun. “It is critical to visualize and differentiatestages of axonal damage, so that therapeuticapproaches can be used effectively to target eachpathological condition.
“It is critical to visualize and differentiate stagesof axonal damage so that therapeuticapproaches can be used effectively to target eachpathological condition,” states Dr. Sun.
To do that, Dr. Sun will be utilizing diffusiontensor imaging (DTI) coupled with a high-resolution signal on a mouse model of MS.DTI is a clinically available imaging tech-nology. According to Dr. Sun, this project willprovide significant clinical impact to MS diag-nosis and treatment.
In addition, Wei-Xing Shi, PhD, professor ofpharmaceutical sciences and basic sciences atthe LLU School of Pharmacy and School of
Medicine, and co-investigator of the study,will be recording electrical signals emitted byneurons with a small probe called a micro-electrode. Hence, he can verify whetherchanges revealed by DTI are associated withchanges in nerve function.
According to Dr. Shi, multiple sclerosis is one ofthe most difficult diseases to diagnose in its earlystages. “We’re hoping that before patients showsevere symptoms they can receive accurate diag-nosis,” says Dr. Shi, “and therefore, receive treat-ment earlier to prevent severeMS symptoms.”
School of Dentistry alumnus honored …South America, Dr. Stoll’s earliest years werespent in the Charity district along thePomeroon River. The eldest of four brothers,he attended Catholic school for his first threegrades, and then relocated to the country’scapital, Georgetown, where he attended severalgrades at an Anglican school before completingthe elementary grades at the first Seventh-dayAdventist school in that city.
Dr. Stoll attended the University of theSouthern Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago;Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska; and La
Sierra University in Riverside, California, wherehe graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology.He earned his doctor of dental surgery degreefrom Loma Linda University School ofDentistry in 1962.
The dental clinic for employees of the Local 770grocery stores in Hollywood, California,provided Dr. Stoll with his first work as adentist. After three years in Hollywood, hemoved to Watts, California, to work at theWatts Community Health Center run by theUniversity of Southern California.
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TODAY5Friday, April 1, 2011
FromValentine’s Day to this spring day of love of the pale green beauty in our midst, it seemsfitting to talk about the love that calls to us every moment of our lives …. Listen to this lovethrough the language of John Eldredge in the bookThe Sacred Romance:
“It whispers to us on the wind, invites us through the laughter of good friends, reaches outto us through the touch of someone we love. We’ve heard it in our favorite music, sensedit in the birth of a child, been drawn to it while watching the shimmer of a sunset on theocean—it is even present in times of personal suffering. Something calls to us throughexperiences like these and rouses an inconsolable longing deep within our heart, wakeningin us a yearning for intimacy, beauty, and adventure. This longing is the most powerfulpart of any human personality. It fuels our search for meaning, for wholeness, for a senseof being truly alive. However we may describe this deep desire, it is the most importantthing about us, our heart of hearts, the passion of our life. And the voice that calls us tothis place is none other than the voice of God.
“We set out to discover if there is in the wide world out there a reality that corresponds tothe world within our heart.”
INNERWEAVE: The Wholeness StoryBy Wil Alexander, PhDProfessor of family medicine, School of Medicine
Contributed report
The department of earth and biologicalsciences, part of the Loma Linda Univer-
sity School of Science and Technology, willpresent “Spiders and Snakes and OtherAmazing Ambassadors of God,” a specialprogram featuring live creatures from the labo-ratories of Loma Linda University’s non-humanbiology program.
This event will take place on Saturday, April 16,at 5:00 p.m. in the Loma Linda UniversityChurch Sanctuary and will highlight thedepartment’s ongoing work with a variety ofanimal species, as well as introduce theconcept of its on-campus BiodiversityDiscovery Center.
Many live animals, including a Harris’ Hawk, abobcat, tarantulas, scorpions, centipedes, and anumber of poisonous snakes, will be on promi-nent display.
The event promises to provide 60 minutes ofheart-pounding wonder for kids of all ages—especially those who love God’s unique andsometimes frightening creatures.
Learn why these animals who share ourPlanet Earth with us are truly God’s amazingambassadors.
Those attending will be able to get a too-close-for-comfort look from any seat in the housewhile high-definition video cameras projectthese amazing creatures in startling detail ontothe big screen.
See the spiny hairs of a spider’s leg or the pointof a cobra’s forked tongue—all in real time.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to observeLoma Linda University’s professional snakeeducators as they interact with some of theworld’s deadliest andmost beautiful snakes.
All children in attendance who are 10 years ofage or younger will receive a realistic baby snakereplica, made of genuine plastic.
Spiders and snakesamong thoseattending program
NATURE PROGRAM
American Health Care Congress expands …
For part one of the summit, titled “LeadershipStrategies—Creating the Future ofHealth Carethrough Connection and Community,” LLUinvited two speakers: Gary Gunderson,DMin—senior vice president for faith andhealth at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare,and Michael Knecht, MDiv, project managerfor mission and culture at LLUMedical Center,both of whom spoke about systems faith andhealth initiatives.
The second part of the summit, “Leadership atthe Point of Contact,” featured a panel discus-sion involving GeraldWinslow, PhD, vice pres-ident of mission and culture at Loma LindaUniversity Medical Center; Daniel Fontoura,MBA, senior vice president/administrator,LLUMedical Center; Dr. Barilla, who, in addi-tion to her School of Public Health role, isdirector of community health development atLLUMedical Center; andDr. Penner.
Student Krystal Boyce, MPH, especiallyenjoyed this session. “I think it’s good foreveryone to hear a new and personal defini-tion of leadership,” she says. “The personalstories and examples really helped solidifythe message.”
That evening, the LLU students had their ownbanquet, also attended by faculty members, Mr.Aguilar, andDrs.Winslow andGunderson.
Student Ellen McCarville, MS, felt the topics ofthe day were well chosen. “I found themextremely timely and relevant,” she says.
She continues, “I especially enjoyed how we hadthe separate leadership morning with our twogroups, and then expanded into leadershiptopics with the conference as a whole.” Sheadds, “I enjoyed the dinner and felt it to be aprivilege to be in the room with the likes of Dr.Gunderson andDr.Winslow.”
Continued from page 3
TODAY 6 Friday, April 1, 2011
assessment of educational effectiveness at LLU.”
In a letter sent March 3 notifying the universityof the commission’s decision, the commissiontook special note of table 8.1 in LLU’s educa-tion effectiveness review report.
“The education outcomes that are reported asperformance indicators in this appendix areimpressive and stand out among ample compar-ative and benchmarked data,” said Ralph A.Wolff, president ofWASC.
According to the letter, the data from this tableindicated that LLU graduates regularly performat or above national norms in almost all profes-sional programs in terms of pass rates and meanscores on standardized examinations. Thisincludes retention rates for master’s and firstprofessional degree programs above 96 percent,and 85 percent for associate’s and bachelor’sdegree programs.
Last accredited by WASC in 1999, LomaLinda University commenced the new accredi-tation process in May 2006. The process beganwith an institutional report, followed by acapacity and preparatory review visit in October2008. The final step was the educational effec-
tiveness review visit onOctober 27 to 29.
According to Marilyn Eggers, PhD, director,office of educational effectiveness, the reasonLoma Linda University received the desired 10-year reaccreditation from WASC is because ofthe enormous efforts of faculty, staff, andadministrators across the campus, and in SaudiArabia as well, where there was also a site visitfor the off-campus programs there.
“LLU’s successful WASC site visit and reac-creditation were the result of interschool collab-oration of faculty, staff, and administrators,”states Dr. Eggers. “Such collaboration across theuniversity has never before been done on thisscale and with such a remarkable outcome.
“God blessed Loma Linda University’swonderful faculty, staff, and administratorsas they prepared for WASC by workinghard to design and set up processes forassessment and program review,” states Dr.Eggers. “These processes will help LLU toconstantly strengthen its programs andstudent learning.”
For more information on accreditation, go to theLoma Linda University accreditation website at<www.llu.edu/central/assessment/index.page>.
Loma Linda University earns praise and reaccred-itation from WASC Commission …
ance network and might not have to travel toget care at a high-performing hospital.
“We are very proud of being ranked the No. 1hospital in Riverside-San Bernardino countiesin the U.S. News & World Report’s first-everBest Hospitals metro area rankings,” LomaLinda University Medical Center Chief Execu-tive Officer Ruthita Fike said. “The rankingrecognizes the hard work and exceptional skillof our doctors and staff, as well as our commit-ment to our mission of continuing the teachingand healingministry of Jesus Christ.”
To be ranked in its metro area, a hospital has to
Rank Hospital Number of high-performing specialties
1 Loma LindaUniversityMedical Center 72 Kaiser FoundationHospital 33 Desert RegionalMedical Center 24 Desert ValleyHospital 14 Kaiser FoundationHospital 14 Riverside CommunityHospital 14 Riverside County RegionalMedical Center 14 St. BernardineMedical Center 1
score in the top 25 percent among its peers in atleast one of 16medical specialties.
“All of these hospitals provide first-rate care forthe majority of patients, even those with seriousconditions or who need demanding proce-dures,” said health rankings editor AveryComarow. “The new Best Hospitals metroranking can tell you which hospitals are worthconsidering for most medical problems if youlive in or near a major metro area.”
All hospitals that ranked in Riverside-SanBernardino counties are listed below. For thefull list of metro area rankings, visit<www.usnews.com/hospitals>.
LLUMC ranks No. 1 inU.S. News &WorldReport Best Hospitals metro area rankings …
Continued from page 2
Continued from page 1
In 1969, Dr. Stoll opened a solo dental practiceon the campus of White Memorial MedicalCenter, which he has maintained for 42 years.
For the past 22 years, Dr. Stoll has beeninvolved with Guyana Medical Relief(GMR)—a non-profit organization (composedprimarily of expatriate Guyanese) that raisesfunds to provide medicine and hospital suppliesto seven government and two denominationallyowned hospitals in Guyana. He also serves asthe liaison between GMR and Davis Memorial
Hospital, a Seventh-day Adventist facility in thecountry’s capital.
Dr. Stoll is president of the Southern Californiachapter of the University of the SouthernCaribbean and has been a leader in the BereanSeventh-day Adventist Church in Los Angelesfor the past 48 years.
He is married to the former Pat Gauff. Thecouple raised three sons—Jeffrey (deceased),Michael, and Anthony—and has a grandsonand four granddaughters.
School of Dentistry alumnus honored …Continued from page 4
By Nancy Yuen
On February 26, 2011, alumni and friendsof Loma Linda and La Sierra Universities
gathered in the grand banquet room of thedowntown Los Angeles Marriott for the BlackAlumni of Loma Linda and La Sierra Universi-ties (BALL) 27th scholarship banquet.
The room was filled with applause as LomaLinda University students walked to the stageto receive 2011 BALL Scholarships.
They include Rebekah Ndinda Ngewa, a doctorof public health student in the School of PublicHealth; Wendella Wray, who is pursuing anMS degree in marriage and family therapy;Fiona Lewis, who is in the preventive care PhDprogram; and Brandy Marie Jones, who is
Black Alumni of Loma Linda and La Sierra Universities (BALL)hold 27th scholarship banquet in Los Angeles
BALL BANQUET
completing her second year in the master ofpublic health program, School of PublicHealth.
During the banquet, Lloyd E. Stoll, DDS, wasnamed BALL 2011 Loma Linda UniversityAlumnus of the Year. In addition, the grouppaused to remember long-time memberTimothy S. Greaves, MD, who died May 8,2010, and Jacob Maarse, a well-knownPasadena florist who, with his son, Hank,provided floral arrangements for the BALLscholarship banquets for more than a decade,who passed away in late 2010.
The speaker for the evening was Julian Bond,former chair of the National Association forthe Advancement of Colored People(NAACP). Professor Bond is a distinguishedscholar in residence at the American Univer-
sity in Washington, DC, and a professor atthe University of Virginia in the departmentof history, where he is co-director of explo-rations in black leadership. Mr. Bond high-lighted events in the civil rights movement andemphasized that making education attainablefor everyone is becoming even more critical to
every American as society faces an uncertaineconomic future.
BALL was formed in 1980 as a support systemfor minority students. The late Dr. Gaines R.Partridge, along with other interested alumni,formed the organization to address the needs ofblack students seeking higher education. Itsmission is to be instrumental in promoting andfacilitating Christian professional healthscience education for black young men andwomen at Loma Linda University and LaSierra University.
BALL scholarship recipients include (from left) Brandy Marie Jones, Fiona Lewis,Wendella Wray, and Rebekah Ndinda Ngewa.
PHILANTHROPY
By Nancy Yuen
Now through May 22, Food 4 Less andRalphs customers and associates are
supporting their local children's hospitalthrough The Ralphs Fund by donating sparechange in collection canisters located at check-stands in their neighborhood Food 4 Less andRalphs supermarkets.
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital isone of six Southern California children’s hospi-tals that will benefit from this charitablefundraising drive.
"Ralphs believes strongly in giving back to the
Annual Food 4 Less and Ralphs campaignbegins, benefiting LLU Children’s Hospital
communities our stores serve," says MikeDonnelly, Ralphs president. "We’re pleased toextend our commitment to community serviceto our local children’s hospitals. We cannotthink of a better way to invest in our communi-ties than by giving families and children hopethrough our support of the outstanding workthese hospitals are doing to provide world-classmedical care for children."
Since 2005, Food 4 Less, Ralphs, its associates,and customers have given more than $1 millionto children’s hospitals in Southern California.This year, the company has set a goal of raising$170,000 for children’s hospitals. RalphsGrocery Company was founded in 1873.
TODAY7Friday, April 1, 2011
Newsbriefs · Newsbriefs · Newsbriefs · Newsbriefs · Newsbriefs• A benefit concert, “The Gospel According to Skid Row,” will be presented on Saturday,April 16, at 3:00 p.m, in the Chen Fong Auditorium, Centennial Complex, on the LLUcampus. Members of the “Skid Row Praise” band are residents of Skid Row in Los Angeles,who speak and sing about their experiences and God’s transforming love and grace. The grouppractices, performs, and is mentored at the Central City Community Church of the Nazarenein downtown Los Angeles. Come hear the music, meet the artists, and contribute to thisongoing ministry on Skid Row. Sponsored by the LLU School of Religion; for more informa-tion call 909-651-5952.
• On Monday, March 21, Loma Linda University Medical Center audio visual communica-tions relocated from 24667 Prospect Street to 11221 California Street, Suite B, Loma Linda(at the corner of Barton and California). The name of the department also changed from theLLUMC audio visual communications to LLUMC cable TV and media services. The depart-ment will continue all current services, including running the patient and staff television system,television installation, maintenance and repair, and supporting all media and production needsand rentals. All phone extensions will remain the same. The medical center is planning to
demolish the current location to install a multilevel parking structure. In the 20-year history ofaudio visual communications, the role of the department has evolved to become a much morecomplex broadcast operation. The new name fits industry naming standards and more accu-rately reflects the function of the department, making it easier for vendors and internal clientsto understand what department staff do.
• The department of counseling and family sciences, School of Scienceand Technology, welcomes Winetta Baker, PhD, as assistantprofessor. Dr. Baker completed her master’s degree in marital andfamily therapy at Loma Linda University in 2003 and subsequentlyearned a PhD degree at Loma Linda in 2006. Prior to joining thefaculty, she served as director of two clinics funded by California’sMental Health Services Act. These clinics employed recovery-orientedcare to help transitional-age youth diagnosed with at least one severemental illness. Dr. Baker’s personal research has focused on familyfactors that affect the development of adolescent self-image.
Unfortunately, Dr. Kirch’s reply was lost to theensuing laughter.
In addition to his alleged prowess on the skislopes, Dr. Kirch is a distinguished physician,educator, and medical scientist who is alsowidely recognized as an authority on the orga-nization and management of academic medicalcenters. In his address—titled simply “WillYou Lead?”—he offered a candid and forth-right assessment of the state of health care inAmerica and said the time has come formedical professionals to create innovative solu-tions to the fiscal, political, and practical chal-lenges associated with the 21st centurypractice of medicine.
According to Sally Baugh, administrative assis-tant at LLUSM, an invitation to join the ranksof AOA is a very high honor.
“The committee looks at the top 25 percent ofthe class,” Ms. Baugh observes, “and asks themto submit their curricula vitae. Out of this docu-mentation, we choose those with the consis-tently highest grades who are active incommunity and mission service, research, andleadership. It’s amazing what these kids can dowhile they’re also inmedical school.”
Alpha Omega Alpha was founded in 1902 by asmall group of Chicago medical students led byWilliam Webster Root. The group wanted toimprove the quality of medical education in the
United States and adopted “worthy to serve thesuffering” as the organization’s motto. Today,the mission statement of the national medicalsociety proclaims that it is “dedicated to thebelief that in the profession of medicine we willimprove care for all by…
• Recognizing high educational achievement;• Honoring gifted teaching;• Encouraging the development of leaders inacademia and the community;
• Supporting the ideals of humanism; and• Promoting service to others.”
Dr. Roddy says the Epsilon chapter of AOAwas chartered in 1956 to the College of MedicalEvangelists, as Loma Linda University Schoolof Medicine was known in those days. “We arevery proud of our newly initiated seniorstudents as well as alumni and house staff,” sheconcludes.
Epsilon chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha initiates32 from LLU School of Medicine …
Continued from page 8
By James Ponder
When Charlene Wilson, MPA, newlyappointed executive director of human
resource management (HRM) at Loma LindaUniversity Shared Services (LLUSS), took thereins of her department on March 7, shebrought a strong HRM background and adesire to dedicate her service to the organizationas a ministry consistent with its mission, “tomakeman whole.”
But talk withMs.Wilson for five minutes and itquickly becomes apparent that she also bringsan active wit to her new responsibilities. Whenasked, for instance, how she feels about herrecent move to Southern California after livingon the East Coast the past four years, Ms.Wilson comes back with a quip.
“I love it here,” she jokes. “My parents didn’t getthe memorandum that says I should have beenborn in theWest.”
Maybe they just didn’t read it. Either way, thetransplanted Easterner is happy to be in LomaLinda. For the last four years, she served the64-hospital Catholic Health East—which sheproudly calls “the largest faith-based healthcare system on the East Coast”—as vice presi-dent for human resources and organizationaldevelopment. The fact that she was based inWilmington, Delaware, was icing on the cakesince her old hometown of Philadelphia wasjust 20 minutes away. Prior to that, she held a
Charlene Wilson brings passion to her role as executivedirector for human resource management at LLUSS
NEWLEADERSHIP
similar position in Phoenix, Arizona, for fiveyears. It was there that she first discovered herlove for the natural splendor and wide openspaces of the American West in general, andthe breathtaking red rock landscapes ofSedona in particular.
Although she’s only been on board at LLUSSsince March 7, Ms. Wilson looks forward tohelping LLU President Richard H. Hart, MD,DrPH, fulfill his vision for the future of theorganization.
“I am particularly interested in integratingHRM into some of the strategic initiatives Dr.Hart is articulating,” she observes. “I’m alsolooking forward to promoting best practices inperformance enhancement and management,and helping to enhance the diversity and cultureof inclusiveness for which Loma Linda isbecoming famous. I feel it’s vitally importantthat we develop our current staff to fit thestrategic goals of the organization. I see usmoving from a tactical and transactional modelto a strategy-driven plan.”
Ms. Wilson graduated from Hampton Univer-sity in Virginia and studied at ThurgoodMarshall School of Law in Texas before trans-ferring to Villanova University in Pennsylvaniawhere she received her master of public admin-istration degree with an emphasis in organiza-tional development.
In her personal life, Ms. Wilson is a committed
wife, mother, Christian, and runner. HusbandKevin Congo, a retired U.S. Army colonel, isdirector of materials management for twohospitals through Vanguard Health Systems inBoston, Massachusetts. She admits it can bedifficult to manage a bi-coastal marriage, but sofar, she andKevin are pulling it off just fine.
Her oldest daughter, Lauren, is a captain in theU.S. Army. “She works as a systems engineer,”Ms.Wilson notes, “and is on her way to Iraq forher second tour. My nerves aren’t as bad as theywere the first time she went there because now Iknowwhat to expect.”
Lena, her middle child, is a 2001 graduate of theminority introduction to the health sciences(MITHS) program at LLU under the directionof Leroy Reese, MD, associate dean of the LLUSchool of Medicine. Lena will soon graduate asa nurse anesthetist fromVillanova University.
Son Jesse—whom Ms. Wilson proudlyacknowledges as the only male born into herfather’s family in 63 years—is working on hisundergraduate degree in biology at SouthernAdventist University in Tennessee. “He wantsto be either a physician’s assistant or an MD,”she notes.
Jesse apparently inherited his mother’s sense ofpurpose-driven adventure. She took upmarathon running as a challenge to herself, andhe recently returned from the Florida Keyswhere he became certified as a scuba diver. Ms.
Wilson decided to run a half-marathon justbecause it was different than anything she’d everdone before. “I tend to be a workaholic,” sherecalls, “and thought this would be a good wayto get some exercise. So I set a stretch goal ofrunning a half-marathon on Martin LutherKing’s birthday when we lived in Phoenix.”
Three successful half-marathons later and Ms.Wilson is planning to return to Arizona inJanuary 2012 to run the 26-mile full marathon.She’s working on cardio fitness at the gym rightnow and will begin training outdoors when theweather warms up.
“Running is very much a mental discipline,” sheobserves. “I didn’t realize the mental stressbefore I started doing this, but I understand itnow! I look at it the same way I look at my job.You have to be very intentional about it. Youhave to set goals, stretch goals, and go beyondyour comfort zone.”
She says there are other advantages as well.“Running is a link to my personal, professional,and spiritual life,” she remarks. “It helps me stayon track. If I want to succeed, I have to findtime for praying, fasting, reading, and fellow-shipping. Running never lets me forget thatworthwhile goals take time and commitment.”
Charlene Wilson, MPA, newlyappointed executive director ofhuman resource management atLoma Linda University SharedServices, is excited about prospectsfor helping the organization integratediversity, inclusiveness, and best prac-tices into operational procedures. “Isee us moving from a tactical andtransactional model to a strategy-driven plan,” she observes.
TODAY 8 Friday, April 1, 2011
Volume 24, No. 4 | Friday, April 1, 2011
CORRESPONDENTS
DougHackleman,MASchool of Dentistry
Dustin R. Jones, MASchool of Nursing | School of Religion
Larry Kidder, MASchool of Science and Technology
TODAY is a nonprofit news publication of Loma Linda University, operated under the auspices of the General Conference ofSeventh-dayAdventists.
Internal campus-based advertising accepted for publication in TODAY is intended to be a service to the students, staff,employees, and faculty of all Loma Linda University entities. No outside advertising is included in this publication. Themanage-ment, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to refuse, without explanation, any advertisement. The acceptance of advertising inthis publication does not represent an endorsement or guarantee of any kind by Loma Linda University, Loma Linda UniversityMedical Center, or Loma LindaUniversity AdventistHealth Sciences Center.
James PonderSchool of MedicineUniversity Medical CenterChildren’s HospitalBehavioral Medicine Center
Heather Reifsnyder, MASchool of Public HealthSchool of Allied Health Professions
Patricia ThioFaculty of Graduate StudiesSchool of Pharmacy
Nancy Yuen,MPWPhilanthropy
Interim Executive Editor · · · Dustin R. Jones, MAEditor/Designer· · · · · · · · · · · · · · Larry Kidder, MA
STUDENT EXCELLENCE
By James Ponder
Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), the nationalmedical honor society, and its Epsilon
chapter at the Loma Linda University School ofMedicine (LLUSM), inducted 32 newmembers into the organization during itsannual awards banquet, which was held onTuesday, March 1, in the Centennial Complexof Loma LindaUniversity (LLU).
After a welcome by Grigoriy Arutyunyan,student vice president, and an invocation bySarah Roddy, MD, associate professor of pedi-atric neurology, Henry Lamberton, PsyD, asso-ciate dean for student affairs, introduced thenewest AOAmembers:
From the LLUSM class of 2011 …Cordel AndersonClaire AndrewsGrigoriy Arutyunyan
Epsilon chapter of Alpha Omega Alphainitiates 32 from LLU School of Medicine
Alumni house staff …Robert Ayer,MDAndrewGraves,MDForrest Jellison,MDHasan Syed,MD
Dr. Lamberton peppered his introductoryremarks with personal anecdotes about eachinitiate’s individual interests in medicine and inlife. At the conclusion of his comments, thenewest AOA members lined up for a photo-graph with the guest speaker, Darrell Kirch,MD, president and CEO of the AmericanAssociation ofMedical Colleges (AAMC).
Following the presentation of the newestmembers, H. Roger Hadley, MD, LLUSMdean, introducedDr. Kirch.
After a playful repartee between the two men,Dr. Hadley responded to Dr. Kirch’s assertionthat he was a better skier than the dean byasking, “What are you doing tomorrow?”
Darrell Kirch, MD, president and CEOof the American Association ofMedical Colleges (AAMC), makes apoint during his remarks at theinduction ceremony for the 32newest members of the Epsilonchapter of Alpha Omega Alpha, thenational medical honor society, onMarch 1.
The newest members of Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), the national medical honor society, celebrate with guest speaker Darrell Kirch, MD (center, standing), presidentand CEO of the American Association of Medical Colleges, just moments after their induction into the Epsilon chapter of AOA at the Loma Linda University School ofMedicine on March 1. Standing (from left) are Cordel Anderson, Matthew Brucks, Jeffrey Koning, Christopher Ellstrom, Jonathan Lio, Kurt Meyer, WilliamMortensen, Darrell Kirch, MD, Matthew Perkins, William Millard, Dr. Forrest Jellison, Dr. Robert Ayer, Dr. Andrew Graves, and Grigoriy Arutyunyan. Seated (fromleft) are Miriam Peckham, Natasa Candarevic, Ashley Hay, Sarah Killian, Carin Reinsch, Victoria Chen Yin, Christina Tan, Melissa Sirichotiratana, Claire Andrews,Stephanie Jones, Vlatka Candarevic, and Shino Magaki.
Please turn to page 7
By Doug Hackleman
For his personal and professional contribu-tions, the Black Alumni of Loma Linda and
La Sierra universities (BALL) honored LLUSchool of Dentistry alumnus Lloyd E. Stoll,DDS (class of 1962), as the 2011 BALL
School of Dentistry alumnus honored
2011 BALL ALUMNUSOF THE YEAR
Alumnus of the Year during its 27th annualscholarship banquet, held on February 26 at theLos AngelesMarriott.
Born in British Guiana (now the CooperativeRepublic of Guyana) on the northern coast of
Dr. Lloyd E. Stoll (right) receives the 2011 Alumni of the Year Award from LeroyA. Reese, MD. Dr. Stoll’s wife, Pat, holds his plaque.
