Class of 1951 Wins Brown Derby Award at Alumni Weekend

Longtime class representative Nathan Hilrich, MD '51, was no longer around to encourage his classmates to make donations to their medical school and alumni association, as he had done for so many years. So Herman Tuchman, MD '51, agreed to take up the charge. The memory of his friend and classmate Hilrich, who died last December, was fresh in his mind.

And, true to form, the Class of 1951 came through - once again winning the Brown Derby Award for the class with the highest percentage of participation in fund-raising for the year.

The Brown Derby awards, also given to the class with the most donors and the class that gives the largest amount, were among the highlights of Alumni Weekend 2011, which took place April 28 to 30 at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

The three days also featured the Dean's Reception, the Awards Banquet, a brunch with medical students, the Board of Directors meeting, the Class of 1961's 50th Reunion Luncheon and reunions for four other classes.

View photos from Medical Alumni Weekend: awards banquet, class reunions and more.

Seven members of the Class of 1951 were on hand to celebrate their 60th class reunion.

"Originally our class numbered 74, but now we are probably 32," says Tuchman. The classmates gathered for a nice dinner on Thursday evening. Donald Schuster, MD '51, accepted the Brown Derby at the next day's luncheon.

Twelve people from the Class of 1956 attended their 55th reunion, drawn by a special tour of the Allen Gardens on campus.

"This was a unique gathering organized by Dr. Diane Bohlman, which people seemed to enjoy very much," says Karen Peterson, executive director of the Wisconsin Medical Alumni Association (WMAA).

The biggest celebration was for the Class of 1961.

"Class representative Dr. Ken Oberheu, of Dayton, Ohio, worked very hard to energize his classmates for their 50th reunion," Peterson notes. "Twenty-two members from all over the country came."

Before all the fun began, the board of directors had a productive meeting on Friday, focusing extensively on the problem of medical student debt.

"Our students graduate with an average debt of $145,000," says Peterson. "Raising funds to support scholarships and reduce student debt has become a top priority for us."

The WMAA and the UW Foundation each match every dollar raised with 50 cents, doubling each gift.

By Dian Land

This article appears in the spring 2011 issue of Quarterly.