Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM) in partnership with the Ohio Podiatric Medical Student Association (OPMSA), held its 2nd Annual Student & Alumni Weekend August 17 – 19th, welcoming alumni, students, faculty and staff to honor returning classes and award recipients, as well as induct three new members into the CPM Hall of Fame Society. The weekend was sponsored by OCPM Foundation, serving to enhance the education and practice of podiatric medicine nationally through generous giving, scholarship and grants to support innovative causes that will improve or invent new solutions in podiatry, and nurture the community of podiatrists in particular for educational and research projects.
This 2nd annual weekend first welcomed alumni and friends of the College to its Independence, OH campus for the Inaugural North Coast Foot & Ankle Symposium. The CME program saw 285 registrants, including 200 alumni, and hosted workshops sponsored by Legally Mine, USA, Erchonia Corporation, Wright Medical, Podiatry Content Connection, CrossRoads Extremity and Zimmer Biomet.
The weekend of traditions continued with three days of events including a Friday night reunion held at Hofbrauhaus in downtown Cleveland, which honored reunion class years 1968, 1978 and 1993. This year’s Hall of Fame & Alumni Awards Dinner was held at Cleveland’s Severance Hall on Saturday, where Irvin I. Donick, DPM, Class of 1963, Marchelle L. Suppan, DPM, Class of 1980 and The Late Harry Goldsmith, DPM, Class of 1976 were inducted into the Hall of Fame Society. Every year, CPM recognizes distinguished alumni who display dedication to the College and contribute to achievements within the podiatric medical community. The weekend finished with the Annual OPMSA Golf Tournament on Sunday at St. Denis Golf Club in Chardon, Ohio.
Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine Dean, Allan M. Boike, DPM, addressed the sponsors of the Student & Alumni Weekend in appreciation of their support of the Student Scholarship Fund. Dr. Boike thanks the community for its support in saying, “This was the most successful event in the college’s history in bringing alumni back to the school and will double the amount of funds raised from last year’s events, which will go into the Endowed KSUCPM Outstanding Podiatric Medical Student Scholarship Fund”.
Founded in 1916, Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine is one of nine accredited podiatry colleges in the nation, and is a four-year, graduate-level medical college, granting the degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. The mission of CPM is to educate students to be highly competent doctors of podiatric medicine who will excel in residency training.
A full listing of award recipients for the 2nd Annual KSUCPM Student & Alumni Weekend are as follows:
- Staff of the Year Award: Carla Ronnebaum, Director of Enrollment Management & Student Services
- Faculty of the Year Award: Christina Pratt, DPM, Assistant Professor in the Podiatric & General Medicine Department
- OCPM Foundation Student Leadership Award: Kristen Brett, MS-III
- OPMSA Outstanding Podiatric Medical Student Scholarship Award: Shayla Robinson, MS-IV
- OPMSA & APMSA Student of the Year Award: Chandler Ligas, MS-IV
- Thomas V. Melillo, DPM Scholarship Award: Chandler Ligas, MS-IV
- Young Physician Professional Achievement Award: Coleman Clougherty, DPM, Class of 2012
- KSUCPM Distinguished Alumni Award: Jordan Grossman, DPM, Class of 1993
- KSUCPM Service Award: Thomas Brosky, DPM, Class of 1997
