L E T T E R F R O M T H E A L U M N I A S S O C I A T I O N P R E S I D E N T I Dear Alumni and Friends: am honored to serve as the new president of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Alumni Association. Together, we look forward to a great year with many opportunities to engage with current students, reunite with alumni, and collaborate on a variety of initiatives. I especially acknowledge and thank past Alumni Association President Sonia Garcia Laumbach, MD ’99, and fellow board members for their dedication, vision, and commitment to our school. On March 7, Dean Sherine E. Gabriel, MD, MSc, welcomed more than 50 alumni representing 26 special- ties who attended the Alumni Association’s 29th Annual Career Night, in the Great Hall on the Piscataway campus. Alumni shared their career paths with eager students, who greatly appreciated hearing personal accounts of what it is like to be a physician in a particular discipline. The event was also a great opportunity to connect with classmates, and I enjoyed seeing many of you there. I encourage you to attend next year’s event as we seek to continue our strong bond between students and alumni. The Seventh Annual Scholarship Gala, which took place on April 8 at the Heldrich in New Brunswick, raised $195,000 for student scholarships. The Gala is a great way not only to support our students but to celebrate the reunion years of our alumni. This year, we honored the following anniversary classes: 45th: 1972, 40th: 1977, 35th: 1982, 30th: 1987, 25th: 1992, 20th: 1997, 15th: 2002, 10th: 2007, and 5th: 2012. Your classmate Jeffrey R. Petrella, MD ’87, received the Distinguished Alumni Award. The Gala was a wonderful evening where alumni, faculty, and students connected and celebrated our medical school. Thank you to those who attended or supported the Gala. I am pleased to announce a scholarship fundraising initiative with a goal of at least $3 million within the next three years. With unprecedented financial burdens on our current and future students, the ability to provide scholarships has never been more important. We feel proud that the Alumni Association is partnering with the medical school to support this worthy cause. I would like to thank you for your generous contributions in the past and invite you to support the Alumni Annual Fund again this year. Please use the enclosed envelope to mail in a donation, or contribute online at support.rutgers.edu/RWJMSAlumni. The Alumni Association is a great way to keep in contact or reconnect with fellow classmates, build relationships with our students, and stay informed about events and programs at our school. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, and email your personal and professional updates to Jillian Prior, manager of alumni affairs, at jillian.prior@rwjms.rutgers.edu. We look forward to another successful year supporting Robert Wood Johnson Medical School as it continues its pursuit of excellence. Sincerely, COURTESY OF PAUL F. WEBBER, MD ’87, RPH, MBA Paul F. Weber, MD ’87, RPh, MBA President, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Alumni Association Robert Wood Johnson I MEDICINE 37