The month of March brought with it a flurry of activity and excitement at WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed).
On March 2, we welcomed J. Adrian Tyndall, MD, MPH, FACEP, as our new Hal B. Jenson, MD Dean, President and CEO. On March 20, we celebrated Match Day as students in the MD Class of 2026 learned where they would be headed for residency training.
Then, on Wednesday, March 25, WMed celebrated Giving Day 2026 in collaboration with Western Michigan University (WMU). The day offered our supporters the chance to give back to the medical school and be a part of a friendly challenge between WMed and the other colleges, academic programs, and athletic programs across WMU’s campus to increase donor engagement.
This year’s initiative was a success with a tally of more than $4.2 million raised from 4,515 donors by the time Giving Day concluded. WMed’s share of the money raised included more than $15,000 from 38 donors, placing the medical school among the top 10 funds for WMU’s colleges and programs.
"Giving Day has become an annual tradition at WMU and we were excited to participate alongside their efforts,” said Elyse Perry, interim chief development officer at WMed. “It is a great opportunity for us to come together and find ways to support our learners. Giving Day is not only a focus on dollars raised, but donor participation as well. We are so grateful to our supporters and alumni who were inspired to give and be part of this exciting initiative."
At WMed, this year’s Giving Day campaign benefited three important initiatives that support our aspiring physicians at the medical school:
The White Coat Program
Contributions to the White Coat Program are used to purchase the white coat that each first-year student receives during our annual White Coat Ceremony, as well as the supplies the students need as they embark on their medical school journey. You can be a White Coat Sponsor for $500 and sponsor as many students as you like.
The Dean’s Circle Leadership Giving Society
The Dean’s Circle Leadership Giving Society recognizes a special group of donors who contribute $1,000 or more each year to the medical school. Funds are used by the Dean to support our learners and strategic initiatives that otherwise would not be possible.
The WMed Fund
A gift of any size to the WMed Fund is the best way to support student scholarships at WMed. The cost of medical education is significant, and your support can help to ease the financial burden for our students. No matter the amount, every gift matters and every gift can make an impact.
In addition to the White Coat Program, the Dean’s Circle Leadership Giving Society, and the WMed Fund, the medical school also received two donations that will benefit the David T. Overton Endowed Chair of Emergency Medicine.
"Thank you to our donors,” Perry said. “Their generosity has a lasting impact in the lives of our learners."