A ‘warm welcome’ greets alumni at Reunion 2025
Celebrating classes raise more than $2.5 million for UMass Chan
Date Posted: Friday, June 13, 2025
Alumni from celebrating classes, which included those ending in 0s and 5s, returned to UMass Chan Medical School on May 3 for Reunion 2025. The Class of 1975 commemorated their 50th Reunion, while the Class of 2000 stood out for having the highest attendance, with more than half the group reconnecting on campus.
“We enjoyed a very warm welcome back to campus, feeling so welcomed and attentively cared for from the moment we stepped in ‘Albie's door’,” said Erica Johnson, MD'75.
Programming gave alumni a fresh perspective on their alma mater, including a candid and inspiring panel discussion featuring eight current T.H. Chan School of Medicine students about their experiences.
“The campus programs could not have been more relevant to those of us who care deeply about the future of the school,” said Dr. Johnson. “My personal favorite was the panel of eight current students. ... Their enthusiasm and appreciation was evident, and I hope soon to be translated into the gratitude we share as alums.”
Throughout the panel discussion, the Medical School’s genuine culture of collaboration, including mentorship from a caring, fiercely dedicated faculty, stood out as central to the UMass Chan experience.
Elsayed Elsafy, a third-year student in the Population-based Urban and Rural Community Health track at UMass-Chan Baystate in Springfield, said “I’ve never once felt alone through this entire process. There’s always someone checking in on me. There’s always someone who cares. I don’t know if every school can have that.”
Student-led tours showcased the newest additions to campus, including the recently opened Paul J. DiMare Center, a LEED Gold certified research building that is home to more than 70 principal investigators focused on neurology, neurobiology, neuroscience, psychiatry, molecular medicine and gene therapy.
Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor, executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the T.H. Chan School of Medicine, provided an insightful update on the current challenges facing UMass Chan, changes to the campus landscape over the last 10 years, the pride sparked by this year’s impressive Match Day results, and the Medical School’s enduring commitment to primary care.
Nancy Spector, MD'90, received the 2025 Alumni Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her “longtime record of leadership in pediatrics, sustained dedication to promoting women’s leadership in academic medicine, and strong reputation for developing and presenting high-quality educational and professional development programs,” as expressed by one nominator.
Among her numerous professional affiliations, Dr. Spector is a professor of pediatrics at the Drexel University College of Medicine and executive director of the prestigious Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program, in which several UMass Chan faculty have participated.
“I want to thank UMass Chan not just for an excellent education but for the mentorship and sponsorship that shaped the direction of my career and helped me grow into the kind of leader I wanted to be,” said Dr. Spector in a recorded video message. “The support I received here extended far beyond the classroom, and I've carried those lessons with me ever since.”
Alongside the opportunity to reminisce and reconnect, Reunion drives alumni giving that is essential to the advancement of the Medical School. Altogether, celebrating reunion classes this year raised more than $2.5 million in gifts and pledges as of June 10, 2025.