Joseph Martin Archives - EMU News

Mennonites in medicine: University of Virginia surgeon Laura Rosenberger ’03 highlights their unique attributes and contributions

Kara Lofton — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 21:17:37 +0000

Faith is not a common topic of discussion at the weekly University of Virginia Medical Center Surgery Grand Rounds. And yet faith is what ��ݮ�� alumna and current UVa chief resident in surgery Laura Horst Rosenberger ’03 chose to talk about in her Jan. 28 presentation titled “Mennonites in Medicine: Missionaries to Dean of Harvard.”

The Grand Rounds lecture traditionally offers medical professionals the opportunity to learn from colleagues about topics that may be outside of their direct specialty. By convention, topics have a scientific, rather than cultural, basis. Previous surgery Grand Rounds at UVa in 2014 included lectures on breast cancer treatments, donor lungs, clinical trials, and critical care.

But learning about this particular faith and culture is particularly pertinent for area doctors, Rosenberger said, because of the large Mennonite population in the region. In her hour-long talk in a lecture hall packed with more than 150 attendees, Rosenberger hoped to help colleagues “understand the plethora of patients you are treating and some of the staff you work with.”

Rosenberger began with an explanation of the Anabaptist faith and the difference between the Mennonites and Amish. She then highlighted pacifism, a core belief of Anabaptism, and how this belief has shaped Mennonite contributions to the medical field.

During World War II, for example, many Mennonite conscientious objectors were assigned to the Civilian Public Service, an alternative form of public service administered by agencies linked to the “peace church” tradition: , and . At camps around the country, CPS draftees worked in natural resources and agriculture, but they made arguably their most important contribution in mental health, Rosenberger said. (For an EMU story about Mennonites who worked in mental hospitals under CPS, click .)

“There was a large movement to improve the conditions of mental health facilities for patients during this time, which can be traced to Mennonites and Quakers who had served in so many of these facilities,” she said.

Rosenberger also highlighted four examples of Mennonites and their impact on healthcare across the globe. Mennonites have founded hospitals, contributed to the successful treatment of African Burkitt lymphoma (Glen R. Brubaker ’62, MD) and Hansen’s disease (leprosy), and conducted key research that led to finding the location of the gene for Huntington’s disease. This last example was the work of who, among other distinguished positions, served as . (Rosenberger did not mention this alum by name, but Richard Keeler ’60, MD, was given EMU’s annual “distinguished service award” in 2004 for his 13-year commitment to the eradication of Hansen’s disease in Trinidad and Tobago.)

In summary, Rosenberger read a modified version of the EMU mission statement that included, “Bear witness to faith, serve with compassion, and walk boldly in the way of nonviolence and peace.”

After graduation from EMU, Rosenberger completed her medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has been a surgical resident at UVa since 2008, completing a master’s degree in clinical research in 2011 and being named chief resident in surgery in 2014. Next year she will complete a surgical fellowship in breast oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Background note from the editor: Laura Rosenberger remains one of EMU’s top student-athletes ever. She won all six ODAC pole vault titles possible (indoor and outdoor) and was the national champion four times before her senior year. She stopped athletic competition her senior year to focus on academics in preparation for medical school. EMU inducted Rosenberger into the in the fall of 2013.

Alum Retraces His Life’s Path To Harvard Medical Dean

Nate Delesline III — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:10:21 +0000

Courtesy Daily News Record

HARRISONBURG — Joseph Martin, a native of Canada and ��ݮ�� graduate, credits a firm foundation in reality, tempered with plenty of humor, as the cornerstone of his tenure as head of one the nation’s most prestigious medical schools.

Martin shared nearly 50 years of medical school wit and wisdom with about 75 people at Eastern Mennonite University Tuesday evening. His visit was the kickoff of a tour to support his new book, “Alfalfa to Ivy: Memoir of a Harvard Medical School Dean.”

Martin said his interest in medicine was inspired in part by visits from missionaries to his childhood church. They shared stories of success, connection and fulfillment in faraway places and he sought to follow in their footsteps.

“At the age of 16, I arrived in Edmonton to begin studies at the University of Alberta and I was frightened,” said Martin, quoting from his book. “The world outside Duchess [Alberta] seemed overwhelming, the big city huge and forbidding. It was vibrant with sophistication I felt I lacked.”

After three years there, including a year of medical school, Martin felt led to make a change. He transferred to then-Eastern Mennonite College to study music, church history, ethics and choral conducting.

Degree from Eastern Mennonite in Bible in 1959.

“EMC was an exhilarating place,” Martin continued. “I had never seen so many eligible Mennonite girls in one place.” The crowd laughed.

Ultimately though, he chose one girl, Rachel Wenger Martin ’61, to be his wife and they’re still married today.

Martin went on to earn a medical degree from the University of Alberta in 1962 and a doctorate in anatomy from the University of Rochester in 1971.

In his professional career, Martin has served as chief of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, dean of the school of medicine and later chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco.

In 1997, he was named dean of the Harvard Faculty of Medicine, a role he held until 2007. Today, he continues at Harvard as an endowed professor of neurobiology.

After his remarks, Martin responded to questions from the audience. One was what advice would he offer to Congress when it comes to health care reform.

He said in part that the primary care system must be strengthened. That doesn’t mean, he said, it’s time to educate more doctors.

Part of the problem, he explained, is that right now, a patient’s medical care is spread among so many specialists that it’s hard to manage.

Responding to another question, Martin also said health care reform legislation should be anchored in five fundamental principles: accessibility, accuracy, advice, affability, affordability. EMU President Loren Swartzendruber praised Martin’s insight at a reception following the program. “His wide range of experiences puts him in a position to speak with a great deal of authority,” Swartzendruber said. “He’s such a genuine person.”

At least one aspiring doctor, EMU junior Abigail Carr, came away inspired by Martin’s talk.

“It was fascinating to hear all the different insights he’s had over the course of his life in very relevant topics … and how it connects to the future,” said Carr, who is studying premedicine and biology.

Harvard Prof, EMU Alum to Speak on Campus

Andrea Schrock Wenger — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:41:59 +0000

Alfalfa to Ivy: Memoir of a Harvard Medical School Dean traces author Dr. Joseph B. Martin’s journey from Mennonite farm boy to the highest levels of academic achievement and leadership. Dr. Martin is making a stop on his book tour at his alma mater, ��ݮ�� (EMU), on Oct. 18. The public is invited to the presentation at 4 p.m. in the .

Martin’s memoir provides “an intimate perspective on academic politics and health care in Canada and the United States, which Dr. Martin is perfectly poised to critique,” according to publisher . Alfalfa to Ivy is a “compelling narrative for non-specialists as well as academics and professionals,” according to the publisher. The public lecture will focus on Dr. Martin’s lifetime of learning on the topic of leadership.

After one year of medical school at the University of Alberta at Edmonton, Martin journeyed to Eastern Mennonite where he studied one year, receiving a BS degree in Bible in 1959. Following his time at EMU, Martin pursued advanced studies in medical science that ultimately led him to the top leadership positions at the medical schools of the University of California at San Francisco and more recently at Harvard.

“That one year [at EMU] transformed my life spiritually, emotionally and philosophically,” he said in a 2010 EMU commencement address. “I focused on Bible studies, ethics, some New Testament Greek, and took Mennonite history, music classes and choral conducting and sang in the male touring chorus – a fantastic experience indelibly imprinted in memory.”

Most importantly, he notes, he also met his wife of 51 years, Rachel Ann Wenger Martin, while at Eastern Mennonite.

Dr. Martin is a member of EMU’s , a group of prominent leaders who are supporting efforts to garner lead funding for a new .

Dr. Joseph B. Martin is the Edward R. and Anne G. Lefler Professor of Neurobiology at and former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Harvard University.

The book will be available for purchase and signing at a reception immediately following the lecture in , University Commons.

Questions can be directed to EMU President’s Office, 540-432-4100 or pres_office@emu.edu.

Harvard Hosts EMU Funding Strategy Meetings for New Science Facility

Andrea Schrock Wenger — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:07:33 +0000

BOSTON — Harvard Medical School provided the backdrop for a historic gathering intended to generate lead funding strategies for ��ݮ��’s $30 million capital campaign to create new science labs and to renovate the existing . Some 35 science commissioners, campaign steering committee members, trustees, faculty and staff were hosted by EMU alumnus Dr. Joseph B. Martin (EMU ’59), dean emeritus and professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School.

The one-day event included a tour of the Harvard Medical School facilities in Boston, Mass., and the , a collaborative research effort of Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Broad Family Foundation, in Cambridge.

Historic gathering

“This is a historic gathering,” said President Loren Swartzendruber, DMin (EMU ’76 and ’79) in his opening comments. “Never before has such a diverse group of leaders – alumni who have achieved great success in their fields along with business, industry, science and other leaders – come together to think about something this big and transformational for EMU.”

Harvard Dean on EMU

“My time at EMU was most formative in my personal and professional journey,” said Dr. Martin, reflecting on the year he took off from the University of Alberta to study Bible and ethics at then Eastern Mennonite College. “The opportunity to study ethics and broaden my horizons beyond my small Mennonite community proved invaluable.” He noted that the collaboration occurring at EMU and with these leaders was similar to the collaboration that had to occur for the Harvard Medical School expansion under his tenure.

EMU accepted Dr. Martin’s invitation to host the gathering because “it seemed important to us to see what can happen when people who are well trained in the sciences have facilities in which they can thrive,” said President Loren Swartzendruber.

“Dr. Martin is one example of hundreds of EMU science alumni who are making a real difference in this world. While these facilities are not a scale to which EMU aspires, we do believe that new labs and a renovated building at the appropriate scale, can facilitate our ongoing exceptional program.”

EMU’s current Suter Science Center, built more than 40 years ago, “does not do justice to the quality of faculty and program of study we offer,” he said.

Leadership phase

EMU is currently in the leadership phase of its campaign for the new and renovated science facilities at EMU, noted Kirk Shisler (EMU ’81), vice president for advancement. It is a time to focus on lead gifts toward the anticipated $30 million needed to complete two phases. The first phase will include construction of a new 50,000 square foot lab facility to better support the collaborative original research EMU science students complete with professors; renovation of the existing Suter Science Center will follow.

“We are in a time of burgeoning potential,” said Shisler, noting that as EMU has ramped up communications about the campaign, spontaneous unsolicited gifts are coming in for the campaign.

While these gifts are encouraging and exciting, and currently total nearly $2 million in gifts and pledges, the focus of the day’s gathering was on establishing momentum toward gifts in the top tier of the strategic funding plan, gifts and commitments in the $500,000 to $10 million range.

Broad Institute tour

The afternoon’s visit to the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard provided an opportunity for participants to see the country’s top collaborative multidisciplinary research facility. The group heard about the institute’s vision and structures, and a presentation by geneticist Stacey Gilbert, PhD, about her genetic research among Mennonite populations in Lancaster County, Pa.

Open floor plans, glass walls, entire walls and glass office windows that serve as “white boards,” and community space all inspire creativity, innovation and collaboration, explained Michael Foley, PhD, director of the chemical biology platform at Broad. “We’re here to help you in whatever way we can as you plan your facility,” he told the group.

Closing comments

The recent announcement that President Loren Swartzendruber has accepted an invitation to a third four-year term in his role as president is good news for this project as affirmed by Dr. Martin, EMU trustee Dr. Paul R. Yoder, Jr., (’65) and EMU board chair Andrew Dula (’92). Each of them noted the integrity with which President Swartzendruber serves, the level of trust in his leadership, and the momentum he and his team have established for the campaign.

Acknowledging their supportive comments, Swartzendruber noted, “Bringing this campaign to a successful conclusion is my number one goal for these next four years.”

Members of the EMU Board of Trustees, Commission for the Sciences, and Suter Science Complex Campaign Steering Committee gather on the front steps of Harvard Medical School along with EMU faculty and staff.

In the photo:

First row, left to right: Greta Ann Herin, PhD, EMU associate professor of biology; Provost Fred Kniss, PhD (EMU ’79); Dr. Todd Weaver (EMU ’87), Weaver, Reckner, Reinhart Dental Associates; EMU trustee Anne Kaufman Weaver (EMU 88), leadership coach, Coaching Connection, Brownstown, Pa.; Joe Paxton, county administrator, Rockingham County, Va.; Phil Helmuth (EMU ’76) executive director of development for; Carol Yoder, (EMU ’63 ) civic leader/ volunteer; Charlotte Rosenberger (EMU ’65) civic leader/volunteer, Blooming Glen, Pa.; Pat Swartzendruber, EMU advocate and church-wide leader.

Second row, left to right: Doug Mason, advancement consultant, Gonser, Gerber, Tinker, Stuhr, LLP, Naperville, Ill.; EMU trustee Evon Bergey, general manager, Magellan Health Services, Perkasie, Pa.; Dr. Krishna Kodukula, executive director, CADRE, Biosciences Division, SRI Shenandoah Valley; Dr. Joseph B. Martin (EMU ’59), dean emeritus and professor of neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; John “Roc” Rocovich, Jr., attorney, Moss & Rocovich and founder and chairman of Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Va.; EMU President Loren Swartzendruber, DMin (EMU ’76 and ’79); Joyce Bontrager Lehman (EMU ’65), program officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Wash.; Bob Hostetler, PhD (EMU ’59), campaign co-chair, professor emeritus mathematics, Pennsylvania State University; Gerry Horst, campaign co-chair and president, Horst & Sons, Inc., New Holland, Pa.; Kirk Shisler (EMU ’81), vice president for advancement; Laura Daily, assistant for advancement.

Third row, left to right: Doug Hostetler, Hostetler & Church, LLC, Clarksville, Md.; Roman Miller, PhD, EMU professor of biology/Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair, Doug Graber Neufeld, PhD, EMU professor of biology; Mark Grimaldi (EMU ’94), president of Equinox Chemical Company, Albany, Ga.; Andrew Dula (EMU ’91), chair, EMU Board of Trustees and CFO, EG Stoltzfus Inc.; EMU trustee Kay Nussbaum (EMU ’78), partner, The MVP Group, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; Henry Rosenberger (EMU ’67) farmer and sustainability entrepreneur; Dr. Paul R. Yoder, Jr. (EMU ’63) Rockingham Eye Physicians, Harrisonburg, Va., and EMU trustee; Knox Singleton, CEO Inova Health Systems, Falls Church, Va.

2010 Commencement Events Set for April 30 – May 2

Marcy Gineris — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Commencement details are in! Commencement speaker and EMU alum Dr. Joseph Martin will speak on ‘Keeping Faith Relevant.’ Dr. Judy Mullett, EMU professor of psychology and education, will speak at undergraduate baccalaureate.