Gratitude to donors is expressed at annual dinner

As a special thank you to Wayne State University School of Medicine donors and friends who supported the School of Medicine in 1998, Dean Robert Sokol, MD, hosted the annual Heritage Night dinner on Saturday, April 10 at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). Over 215 guests attended the black-tie affair.

During the cocktail hour, guests viewed the special photography exhibit, Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks, featured at the DIA. The dinner program included WSU President Irvin Reid who spoke on the university’s global initiative and Dr. Sokol who presented his annual update to donors.

Howard Newman, vice president of development at The Detroit Medical Center, and executive director of development at the School of Medicine, and Priscilla Khoury, director of development and alumni affairs at the School of Medicine, presented this year’s Distinguished Donor awards. Recipients were Dorothea (Dottie) Harnden-Creedon and Vincent Schoenrock, and the Michigan Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Dottie Harnden Creedon and Vincent Shoenrock were recognized for their visionary advocacy and support of research in the prevention of neurotrauma.

The Michigan Department of the Veterans of Foreign War was recognized in appreciation for its statewide grass roots effort in supporting cancer research at the School of Medicine. Mr. Raymond O’Neill, former state director of the VFW, accepted the award.

The School of Medicine received $16, 980,953 in support in 1998 and established four endowed chairs, two endowed lectureships, nine endowed scholarships, six endowed prize funds, and two special endowment opportunities in partnership and collaboration with Wayne State University and its affiliated institutions including The Detroit Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Michigan and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.