The Alumni Association: A Power for Good
By Dennis Park, MA, ’07-HON, Consulting Historian
Published in the Summer 2023 ALUMNI JOURNAL
This article is part two of an abridged history of the Alumni Association School of Medicine of Loma Linda University, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Part one was featured in the Spring 2023 ALUMNI JOURNAL.
“Our Alumni Association must be strong, vigorous, united, and independent. Not just for its own sake, but precisely because it is a service organization. I must have self to give.”1 Jack W. Provonsha ’53-A (AA President 1964-1965)
The Alumni Association, School of Medicine of Loma Linda University was founded on a solid cornerstone laid down by INER SHELD-RICHIE ’15 who wrote:
“We feel that we have now come to the time when we can organize into a successful alumni association. Not after a worldly order, not for a selfish purpose, but a definite, high, and holy cause, even that of our Master.
“This Organization has great possibilities if properly developed.”2 Then in his statement, Dr. Ritchie identified four objectives to be written on that cornerstone and the hearts of the alumni members who would be chosen to lead a successful Alumni Association. First:“It should necessarily be organized on a sound and proper financial basis.” Check: it was and continues to be. Second: “having the support of all its members.” Check: the Alumni Association
has support from its dues-paying and perpetual members. Third: “Such benefits as a poor students’ fund.” Check: this fund continues to be a priority for the Association.
Fourth:“Establishment or aid of medical missionary work, both at home and in foreign fields.”3 Check: during its early years the Alumni Association was the driving force behind the school and the college (the College of Medical Evangelists also known as CME). As the medical school and university grew, the Alumni Association took a lesser role. Today, however, the Alumni Association continues to lend its support to the school, and the university through its fundraising efforts. It supports the Seventh-day Adventist Church through its Alumni in Mission’s Council (formerly the Adventist International Medical Society before merging with the Alumni Association in 2018). And finally, the Association supports the medical students (our future alumni) in various ways during their four years on campus. Most recently this has included the Emergency Student Fund and the Paying It Forward Scholarship.
And so, with the cornerstone laid, the alumni–28 members in all (from the first three classes 1914–1916)—from an unaccredited medical school produced a circular letter to provide current information about their alma mater and news about their fellow graduates. The alumni continued to move forward. At last, their alma mater was accredited—receiving a C rating—by the Council on Medical Education, giving the alumni credence to form a loosely knit organization. Progress was being made.
There are four strategic decisions— based on the precepts Dr. Ritchie—adopted by the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association, which anchored the Alumni Association to the cornerstone.
STRATEGIC DECISION NUMBER ONE: THE JOURNAL AND THE ANNUAL DIRECTORY
The years 1931 and 1932 proved to be pivotal years. As the leadership of the Association looked to the future, they, including seven past presidents of the Alumni Association, took three bold steps that anchored the alumni to the Association
and to their alma mater.
First: The Association published its
first edition magazine (Vol. 1; No. 1 dated January – February 1931) called: The JOURNAL of the Alumni Association, College of Medical Evangelists. The editorial committee of the 16-page first edition consisted of ORLYN B. PRATT ’24; GEORGE M. TAYLOR ’24, chairman; andROGERW.BARNES’22.Withthe new JOURNAL in the mail, the informal informational circular letters writing brigade could lay down their pens. By the second edition, the editorial committee gave way to Dr. Pratt. The familiar periodical is now known as the ALUMNI JOURNAL and is enjoyed by alumni around the world. The ALUMNI JOURNAL no longer has a single editor, rather it has an editorial team that includes three issue editors. Each of the three issue editors is responsible for the content of one of the three issues that are published annually. Each issue is now
printed in color. This current issue boasts 64 pages, a far cry from the 16 black and white pages of the first issue.
Second: The Association took the step of faith by publishing the first annual DIRECTORY of the Alumni Association, College of Medical Evangelists 1931 – 1932. The 2023 DIRECTORY contained 302 pages. Through the years, the annual DIRECTORY has proved to be a valuable resource to our alumni.
In the first issue of the JOURNAL, FRED B. MOOR ’20, president, wrote a very telling paragraph: “It is not fitting for an officer whose tenure is but one year to say what the Association will do in the future. It is safe to say, however, that it will continue to make progress, that it will become greater and greater power for good of the medical school and to the cause of which the school forms a part. Its success, however, depends upon its individual members; how loyal they are to the principles for which the school stands, and how loyal they are to the faith which has made the school a possibility.”4
Third: In 1932, at the recommendation of President WALTER E. MACPHERSON ’24, and approved by the Board of Directors, the Association became a corporation. By incorporating as an autonomous entity, the Association was allowed under corporate laws of California to legally conduct business and to accept donations not only in cash, but also, in stocks, bonds, and real property. Dr. Macpherson explained in his article “Incorporating the Alumni Association of the College of Medical Evangelists” that “We believe that we are making definite progress and that, as our activities and obligations become increasingly greater, we should be preparing an organization that will be capable of fulfilling our obligations.”5
STRATEGIC DECISION NUMBER TWO: RELOCATING FROM LOS ANGELES TO LOMA LINDA
With CME becoming Loma Linda University and with the decision to move the medical campus to Loma Linda, it was inevitable that the Association would soon follow (not without some angst). Of this move, ALBERT F. BROWN ’33 wrote: “But the same fateful fact that opened Osler House (the last headquarters the Association occupied on the White Memorial Hospital campus in Los Angeles) to the alumni pilgrims soon began to take them out of it. LLU had moved and inev- itably the Alumni office followed. In 1967, a Loma Linda branch office was opened. Space was limited in Loma Linda. The trenches were crammed again, instantly this time, and even the visiting generals had to learn lockstep.”6
In 1975, the Alumni office in LA was shuttered, and so, Loma Linda became the home of the Alumni Association.
STRATEGIC DECISION NUMBER THREE:
FROM RENTER TO LANDLORD
With the available rental space at a premium on the Loma Linda campus, the Alumni Association was forced to play musical offices as they vied for larger (and yes, more expensive) space. The decision was made to build. An 8,000 square- foot, two-story building was proposed and approved by the Board of Directors. “Association President EDWIN H. KRICK ’61, gave major impetus to such a program and was authorized by the board to approach the University administra- tion…with the idea.”7 Of course there were minor details: for starters, where to get the money, and of course “delay after delay with permits, and other minuscule…totally unimportant recording errors.”8 The new home of the Alumni Association opened its doors on September 17, 1981. The building was aptly named “Alumni Center.” By action of the Board of Directors, the building was renamed in 1998. During a ceremony on March 10, 1998, a new sign was unveiled. The “Alumni Center” would forever be known as the “Carrol S. Small Alumni Center.” CARROL S. SMALL ’34 did not donate the majority of the funds to construct the building, although he was generous with his money. However, he was best known as“Mr.Alumni.”Whenever and wherever he traveled, Dr. Small would visit alumni as his schedule would allow. As the Association settled into their new building, they no longer were renters, they would become landlords.
STRATEGIC DECISION NUMBER FOUR: THE HOLDING FUND
To the cornerstone, the Board of Directors added a financial anchor. They approved the establishment of The Holding Fund which would be a separate corporation named “HOLDING FUND, INC. OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY. The specific and primary purposes are to receive, hold and
invest funds paid for life memberships in the Alumni Association. To procure additional funds. All funds held will be for the benefit of the Alumni Association.”9
And as the brief history of the Alumni Association is written, it is safe to say that during its 100-year history, the Alumni Association followed the trajectory that Dr. Moor outlined in 1931. The Alumni Association has and will continue to make progress, and it will become an even greater and greater power for good of the medical school, its alumni, and the future alumni who follow.
Endnotes:
- The JOURNAL of the Alumni Association School of Medicine of Loma Linda University: Vol. 35; No. 7; 1964; p. 4
- Diamond Memories p. 251
- Ibid
- The JOURNAL of the Alumni AssociationCollege of Medical Evangelists: Vol. 1; Number1; January – February 1931 p. 5
- The JOURNAL of the Alumni AssociationCollege of Medical Evangelists: Vol. II;Number 4; February 1932; p 7
- Diamond Memories p. 257
- Ibid p. 291
- Ibid
- Holding Fund Bylaws: 1970
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Mr. Park is the consulting historian for the JOURNAL and former executive director of the Alumni Association. He is also the author of “The Mound City Chronicles: A Pictorial History of Loma Linda University 1905–2005.”