Faculty Endowment Dinner spotlights donors, faculty

When Ronald P. Rapini, M.D., walked across the stage on September 29 at the annual UTHealth Faculty Endowment Dinner, he carried a man’s legacy on his shoulders.

Rapini was being honored as the first Marvin E. Chernosky, MD Endowed Distinguished Chair in Dermatology at UTHealth Medical School. Jean Chernosky established the position to honor her late husband, who served as the founding Chair of the Department of Dermatology and practiced medicine with distinction for 40 years, passing away in 2010.

“I think my husband would be very pleased,” Chernosky said. “He would be amazed at the growth of the school and how well it’s done.”
In all, UTHealth recognized 43 faculty members during the dinner as new holders of endowed appointments, along with the benefactors who established the positions.
UTHealth President Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, MD, emphasized the university’s investment in “human capital”—symbolized by the faculty members in attendance—and paid tribute to the donors seated in the audience.

“We wanted our faculty and their family members to really see the people who have made their careers possible,” said Colasurdo, who presented each endowed appointment holder with a university medal of distinction.

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