If the challenges we have all faced this year have inspired you to reconnect with classmates and reengage with your alma mater, you are not alone. Alumni are reaching out in greater numbers than ever to ask how they might help each other, current students and the College of Medicine. Here are a few ways anyone can get involved.

Join the Alumni Association Board of Directors

The call for nominations for the Alumni Association Board of Directors is ongoing. The board accepts nominations on a rolling basis, so you can nominate yourself or a fellow alum at any time, and your nomination will be voted on at the next meeting; if the nomination does not coincide with a time close to a scheduled meeting, the vote can be held virtually. If you are interested in board membership, contact Nikki Bromberg, nlb67@drexel.edu, and she will schedule a call with you to talk about the responsibilities of board service. You will also be asked to submit a CV and statement of interest, which the Nominating Committee will review before making a recommendation to the board.

Board service consists of attending the four meetings per year, plus any committee meetings. There will occasionally be documents to review prior to meetings. Virtual attendance at meetings has always been welcome. A board term lasts three years, and members can serve for two consecutive terms.

 

 Serving on the Drexel University College of Medicine Alumni Association Board of Directors for over 20 years — first as a director, then as president, and now as a director emerita — has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life. I consider my service both an honor and a privilege that has allowed me to give back to my alma mater in a direct and impactful fashion as it has grown into the amazing institution it is today. Moreover, as an alumna of what is now the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, I have watched with pride as my school’s alumni have gained status and recognition alongside our medical alumni colleagues. 
–Ellie Cantor, PhD, MCP ’79

 

Join Dragon Network

Dragon Network is Drexel University’s online professional community for alumni and students. This one-stop shop facilitates career-focused conversations, provides meaningful opportunities for alumni to give back and unites students and alumni from around the world — one connection at a time. In addition to offering an opportunity to mentor students, Dragon Network can be used to build your network, reconnect with former classmates and explore job opportunities. Visit dragonnetwork.drexel.edu to join Dragon Network today.

Sandra Urdaneta-Hartmann, MD, PhD, MBA Lebow ’09, discussing a Discovery Day poster with first author Bailey Balouch in 2019.

Volunteer

Alumni around the globe can volunteer in a variety of ways, especially as our activities have moved to virtual platforms. Here are a few ways you can share your time, knowledge and skills with current students and other alums.

Be a Discovery Day judge. Each fall, the College of Medicine hosts Discovery Day, an annual day of research for graduate, undergraduate and high school students, as well as postdoctoral fellows and postgraduate trainees. Several hundred posters are presented for judging by faculty and alumni volunteers. Additional research is selected to be shared via platform presentations. While Discovery Day is usually held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, this year’s event took place virtually on a poster-sharing web platform. The call for Discovery Day judges is usually sent out in late summer via email. If you would like to be added to a list of prospective judges, please email Nikki Bromberg, nlb67@drexel.edu.

“Alumni commitment and support is of paramount importance for the future of our students. Involvement as a Discovery Day judge permitted me to expand my knowledge and become more familiar with the College of Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies.”
–Donna Antonucci, MD, MCP ’84

“I like that as a Discovery Day judge you can learn about a wide range of topics and learn about the people who have done the work. This context is often lost in the scientific literature.”
–Bradley Nash, PhD, Pharmacology & Physiology ’17

Participate in a panel. On October 27, the Office of Student Affairs & Career Advising partnered with the Office of Alumni Relations to host a career panel for current MD students. Fifteen panelists representing a diverse range of specialties shared their wisdom with nearly 200 student attendees via Zoom. Panels like this allow alumni to give back by sharing their expertise and experience with students. Because panels can be held virtually, alumni living across the U.S. and abroad have a chance to get involved. We look forward to hosting many similar events in the future. If you are interested in serving as a panelist, contact Nikki Bromberg, nlb67@drexel.edu.

Alumni panelists Paul Phelps, MD ’10, Clifford Hudis, MD, MCP ’83, Sidra Ghafoor, MD ’13, and Michael Mirmanesh, MD ’14, along with student moderator Cassandra Mitchell, MD Class of 2021, and Karen Shulik, Office of Student Affairs and Career Advising, at the Exploring Specialties career panel on October 27.

Host informational interviews. Current students can benefit greatly from the perspectives and advice offered by alumni who have gone before them; they value the insights of those currently working in the fields they are considering entering. These interviews will happen remotely for the time being, but they still provide students with essential information about various careers in medicine, biomedical science and the health sciences. Contact Nikki Bromberg, nlb67@drexel.edu, if you are interested in participating in informational interviews.

 

 Sharing my mid-career experience with medical students gave me the opportunity to reflect on how meaningful my career has been, helping remind me why I went into medicine and what a privilege it has been. 
–Keith Scott Dickerson, MD, MCP ’97, MS-BME

 

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

If you have a creative idea for how you or other alumni might get involved with Drexel, please let us know. Contact Nikki Bromberg at nlb67@drexel.edu to share your idea. Thank you for all that you do to support Drexel University College of Medicine.

 
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