MAGNIFY | Alumni Weekend Recap
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We were thrilled to welcome graduates back to Columbia for a vibrant and memorable Famously Hot Alumni Weekend, April 17-18—a celebration of connection, tradition, and the enduring spirit of our School of Medicine community.
Friday, April 17
Alumni kicked off the weekend with an exclusive New SOMC Building Tour, followed by the All-Alumni Roast & Toast at The Laundry at Bull Street. The evening featured fresh oysters, hors d'oeuvres, a celebratory toast, and a spirited open-mic session led by Interim Dean Gerald Harmon, MD. Longstanding faculty member James Stallworth, MD, provided reflections and candid humor, and early-class alumni shared tributes and moments of laughter, creating a night of genuine fellowship and shared history.
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Saturday, April 18
Saturday's events began with the From Memories to Milestones Brunch, where reunion-year alumni enjoyed a progressive walk across the VA campus, revisiting the classrooms and hallways that shaped their medical journeys and reconnecting with today's faculty.
That evening, members of the Class of 1981 gathered at Savage Craft for the Charter 45 Milestone Dinner, hosted by founding and longstanding faculty member Jim Augustine, PhD—who has taught generations of SOMC physicians—and Interim Dean Gerald Harmon, MD. The intimate plated dinner honored 45 years of pioneering impact and celebrated the class that helped launch the School of Medicine Columbia.
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The Charter Class of 1981 with founding faculty member Jim Augustine, PhD.
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At the same time, Genetic Counseling alumni and friends came together for the Gene Jubilee, a colorful gathering filled with connection and a sweet tribute to the program's four-decade legacy.
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The weekend came to a close with the Ignite & Reunite All-Alumni Mixer, where graduates from across programs gathered for a vibrant tropical-chic reception filled with music, drinks, and easy conversation. The relaxed atmosphere sparked new connections and renewed old ones, offering alumni a final moment of fellowship before heading home.
A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who joined us and helped make this weekend special!
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FOCUS | Love and Medicine
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When you ask a fourth-year medical student about navigating the twists and turns of their final year of school, they might mention residency interviews, their clinical rotations, anxious nerves about the upcoming match day and perhaps some sleepless nights along the way.
For School of Medicine Columbia students Gannett and Caroline Loftus, sleepless nights are also joined by diaper changes, feeding schedules and "tummy time," as the couple welcomed their first child just before Christmas. It was part of an eventful month of December for them, as just a week earlier, Caroline had her military match with Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas for an OB-GYN residency. Click here to read the full story.
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ILLUMINATE | Alumni Spotlight
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Christina Jones, LPC, LPC/S, MAC ('09)
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Christina Jones, LPC, LPC/S, MAC ('09), now a licensed counselor with USC Student Health and Well-Being, was chosen as one of 16 speakers for this year's TEDxCongaree Vista. Her lecture, "When the World is Too Loud: Creating Spaces for Belonging," draws on her work with neurodivergent students and her passion for creating inclusive spaces. Read more about Christina's journey, her work, and her TEDx talk here.
Alicia McFarland, MD ('07), Chief Medical Officer of the South Carolina Pediatric Alliance, was recently featured in SCBIZ Faces of South Carolina for her leadership in pediatric medicine and her commitment to stregthening children's health across the state. Read the full issue here.
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Deadline to submit personal news is May 25.
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