"Enduring Power of Leadership" Lecture Series

The University of Maryland School of Medicine celebrated its bicentennial with a free three-part lecture series on health and leadership topics at the historic Hippodrome Theatre adjacent to its west Baltimore campus.

Central Nervous System: Monday, September 24
Presentations: 7-9 p.m.

Among the topics covered at this special evening were the spectrum of disorders of the central nervous system. Speakers included Nancy Wexler, PhD, professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University, whose specialty is Huntington's disease. Also on the program were former United States Attorney General Janet Reno, who talked about living with Parkinson's disease.

Friday, May 18
Dr. Verghese Speaks at the Convocation Ceremonies

Abraham Verghese, MD, the overwhelming choice of the membersof the Class of '07, spoke at the May 18 Convocation at 8 a.m. at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The event was the first in a day that included Commencement exercises at the First Mariner Arena, Medical Alumni Association reunion activities, and the bicentennial gala at the Baltimore Convention Center, featuring comedian Dennis Miller.

Dr. Verghese is founding director of the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics, the Joaquin Cigarroa, Jr. Chair in Medicine and the Marvin Forland Distinguished Professor of Ethics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He has published extensively on pneumonia, infections in the elderly, HIV, and medical humanities. His is the author of "My Own Country: A Doctor's Story" about his experiences with HIV/AIDS patients in a Tennessee town. The book was nominated for theNational Book Critic's Circle Award and was made into a movie for Showtime.

Convocationincluded representatives from Penn, Columbia, Harvard, and Dartmouth, the only American medical schools older than the University of Maryland's. Dr. Darrell Kirch, president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, was also in attendance.

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Leadership: Thursday, April 26
Reception: 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Presentations: 7-9 p.m.

On Thursday, April 26, Cal Ripken, Jr., Dr. Bob Arnot, and Judith Hicks Stiehm, PhD, spoke at a leadership forum at the Hippodrome Theatre. Dean E. Albert Reece moderated the event..

Cal Ripken's career is full of "firsts" and "bests." His streak continues in 2007 with induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame and publication of two books, with his brother Billy, on their philosophy of perseverance. One is an illustrated volume for children using the infamous 0-21 start by the 1988 Baltimore Orioles as a lesson in persevering throughout tough situations. The other book is for adults and uses the "Ripken Way" to empower coaches and parents around the world to persevere in their own lives. The brothers' book, Play Ball the Ripken Way, was on "The New York Times" Best Seller List.

Dr. Bob is known around the world as the former chief medical editor and special foreign correspondent for "NBC News" and health correspondent for "CBS Evening News" and "CBS This Morning." In his private life, Dr. Arnot is active in international relief efforts and serves on the board of directors of the Save the Children Foundation and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (USA). In the last few months, he frequently has traveled on behalf of the U.N. to the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan.

Dr. Stiehm is professor of political science at Florida International University, where she also served as provost and academic vice president. She also taught at the University of Wisconsin, UCLA, and the University of Southern California. Her specialties include political theory, social change, the status of women, and civil-military relations. Her latest book is "Champions for Peace: Women Winners of the Nobel Peace Prize." Dr. Stiehm is in the process of establishing a school for girls in Afghanistan.

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Diabetes: Monday, February 26
Reception: 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Presentations: 7-9 p.m.

Singer Patti LaBelle was among the speakers at the first lecture. She spoke about how the diagnosis of diabetes has changed her life. Also on the program was A M James Shapiro, MD, PhD, professor of surgery at the University of Edmonton and director of the world's largest islet transplantation program. University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers on the program were E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, dean and professor of obstetrics and gynecology; Alan Shuldiner, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Program in Genetics & Genomic Medicine; and Stephen Bartlett, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Surgery. The event was co-sponsored by the University of Maryland Medical Center, the Joslin Diabetes Center, and the University of Maryland Medical System.

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