�²���

With the arrival of �²���’s (WMed) �²��� Class of 2028 in July, the medical school is preparing for the annual White Coat Ceremony. This is a time-honored tradition and a heartwarming rite of passage for first-year medical students as they embark on their education and goal of becoming physicians.��WMed invites faculty, staff, and community members to sponsor a student’s white coat to have a significant and direct impact on the medical school’s newest students.

Each year, the White Coat Sponsorship Program raises funds to support the White Coat Ceremony. But this year the sponsorship has expanded and funds will also be used to create new student scholarships to ease the financial burden of a medical education.

“We are excited to recruit sponsors who want to support our next generation of physicians,” said DeWayne Cook, chief development officer. “Becoming a White Coat sponsor is particularly rewarding because you will create a bond and help inspire a student entering WMed. “

This year’s ceremony is slated for Friday, September 6, at 3:00 p.m. inside Chenery Auditorium, with an opportunity for sponsors and students to meet immediately following the ceremony.

In addition to the new scholarships, the $1,000 sponsorship allows each of the medical school’s 86 students in the Class of 2028 to receive their first white coat, along with a stethoscope, tuning fork, reflex hammer, personal protective equipment, and apparel needed for coursework and clinical applications. White Coat sponsors have the chance to write a note of congratulations that will be placed inside the pocket of their sponsored student’s white coat.

to make a sponsorship donation online or send a check payable to WMU Homer Stryker �²��� School of Medicine to: Gift Processing, 1903 West Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5403. Please write “White Coat Sponsor” in the memo section for the check.

��

��