Dear Friends ofÌýWMed,Ìý
Three months ago, I arrived in Kalamazoo to begin my work as the Hal B. Jenson, MD Dean, President and CEO of ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed). From the moment I stepped onto the medical school campus, I have been struck by the openness and generosity ofÌýWMedÌýand this community. Thank you for welcoming me and for quickly making Kalamazoo feelÌýlikeÌýhome.Ìý
What I have come to understand most clearly is that the energy ofÌýWMed, and of the community we serve, is fueled by people. The human capacity and potential that lives within this community is our most valuable resource, and it is the foundation upon which everything else rests.Ìý
I have been fortunate to meet so many during my first months here, and to see this community in action.ÌýInÌýApril, I attended the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo Annual Community Breakfast, where they celebrated 160 years of youth development and healthy living programs that have built a stronger community.ÌýAtÌýtheÌýYWCA Men’sÌýBreakfastÌýI had the opportunity toÌýwitnessÌýthe passion of our community coming together toÌýfocus on critical issuesÌýimpactingÌýthe lives and health of those in southwest Michigan.ÌýEarlier this month,ÌýI was moved by the outpouring of support from the more than 500 people at the YWCA Kalamazoo Women of Achievement Awards Celebration, where 16 extraordinary women were recognized for their leadership, courage, and commitment to justice and service that is transforming this community.ÌýThreeÌýof the award recipients,ÌýCheryl Dickson, MD,ÌýKaren Garcia,ÌýDO, andÌýKathyÌýJackson, MD,ÌýareÌýlocalÌýpediatriciansÌýandÌýcommunity leadersÌýwho have strong ties to the medical school. We are profoundly proud of them, and proud of the legacy they continue to build alongside the many students, faculty, clinicians, and community partners whose stories appearÌýinÌýthese pagesÌýand shape our history.Ìý
Kalamazoo andÌýSouthwest Michigan have an extraordinary story to tell. From the pioneering pharmaceutical work of Dr. William E. Upjohn to the surgical innovation of Dr. Homer Stryker, this region has long been a place where medicine, science, and ingenuity converge.ÌýWMedÌýis part of that tradition, and we are positioned to carry it forward in ways that matter for every person who calls this region home.Ìý
WMed’sÌýcommitment to this community is visible in the care delivered through our clinics, in the physicians we train who go on to practice across this region and beyond, and in the research that addresses the public health challenges facing our neighbors. We will continue that impact, and we will continue to grow it. At the center of everything we do is a simple conviction. Everyone deserves the services, access, and support they need to achieve theirÌýoptimalÌýhealth. That is what health equity means, and itÌýremainsÌýthe central focus of whatÌýWMedÌýis about.Ìý
I am genuinely looking forward to fuelingÌýWMed’sÌýevolution andÌýto buildingÌýnew partnerships, both personally and professionally, in this great community. Together we will continue to climb to greater heights in pursuit of health equity for all in southwest Michigan.Ìý
I look forward to sharing this journey with all of you.Ìý
With gratitude,
J. Adrian Tyndall, MD, MPH, FACEP
The Hal B. Jenson, MD, Dean, President, and CEO
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