Dean's Update
January 10, 2025 - Aron Sousa, MD
Friends,
Last week, Teresa K. Woodruff, PhD, went to the White House and was awarded the National Medal of Science, the nation’s highest award for science and technology. She is the first Michigan State faculty to be so honored! Dr. Woodruff received this award, and many other honorifics, for her groundbreaking and oogenal (rather than seminal) work in oncofertility. In truth, Teresa has worn a veritable path to the White House for awards.
Last November, I had the chance to attend a dinner in her honor during the 16th Annual Conference of the Oncofertility Consortium. The speakers included her former students, collaborators, and, of course, the First Dude. The event and the conversation manifested Teresa’s remarkable impact through the birth of this field and the science and scientists created in her laboratories. We in the college have known her mostly as a leader and member of the college, yet her international legacy sits among the children born after their mothers were treated for cancer.
About six months ago, Mary Shirkey stepped in to be the interim leader of our advancement team. I am delighted to announce that, as of January 14, she will become our non-interim senior director of advancement and continue to direct our development team. This is a particularly important time for her to pick up the reins, as we move toward the university’s new development campaign announcement in a few months. Mary has been great in the interim role, and I look forward to her leading us as we raise funds for scholarships, faculty, and programs. Congratulations, Mary, and thank you for all your intelligence, hard work, and leadership.
As I have already announced, the head of our communications and marketing office, Geri Kelley, is retiring to have more time for family and concerts. We will miss her, her wisdom, and her talent! Replacing her is a misnomer. Of course, the college does need a new head for the unit, and we have completed an extensive external search for our next leader. I am very pleased to announce that Amy Nienhouse, MS, will be our senior communications and marketing officer. She starts on January 13, two days hence! For the last 11 years and until Monday, Amy has been our assistant director of marketing and communications. Her work can be seen in so many of our projects and materials. We had a strong pool of applicants, and it’s a joy to find that the best person for the job was already with us. It is clear from our strategic planning work that advancing our public intellectual efforts and communicating the work of our faculty nationally is an important priority for the college. I am excited to have Amy at the helm as we chart our path forward.
Many of you know that we tragically lost Barbara Wolf, PhD, to the epidemic of gun violence on December 24, 2024. The circumstances are stupefying. She and her daughter stopped on Christmas Eve to help a stranded motorist, who then shot them and another person acting as good Samaritans. Barbara died that night.
We have been robbed of Barbara and so many more by gun violence. In the U.S., gun violence is the number one killer of children ages 1-17. We are bereft of loved ones, colleagues, children, friends, and classmates. Death and injury have robbed those around us of futures and lives – we have been robbed and left suffering by the side of road. And yet, those most in the position to help have passed us by. They seem more focused on money, power, and phraseology not seen in the most powerful of parables. Other countries have learned how to protect their people. This epidemic goes well beyond Barbara and the events on the side of the road in Oakland County, but it does not bypass the events on the road to Jericho. What would it take to see our fellow residents as a neighbor? How might we make the “roadside” safer for all of us? Verily, that is a call we should all answer.
Serving the people with you,
Aron
Aron Sousa, MD, FACP
Dean, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine