Alums Return ‘Home’ for Mosaic Gala

A presentation by a current College of Osteopathic Medicine student and Mosaic Scholar nearly brought the TUC Alumni Association Board President to tears, both during the event and the next day when recalling the life story he shared.

Dr. Tami Hendriksz (DO Class of 2006), TUC Interim Chief Academic Officer as well as Dean and CAO of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, served as emcee for the Gala. She said it’s important to include alumni in events such as the Gala to keep alums connected to the University – all for the betterment of students.

“The Mosaic Gala is more than just a fundraiser – it's an opportunity to strengthen the bonds between our alumni and the University,” Hendriksz said. “By engaging our alums in events like this, we ensure they remain connected to our mission and continue to play a vital role in shaping the future of our students.”

The Mosaic Scholarship program was created in furtherance of the University’s mission: To Serve. To Lead. To Teach.

“Involving our alumni in the Mosaic Gala underscores the lifelong relationship between the University and its graduates,” Hendriksz said. “Their participation not only enriches our community but also helps create lasting opportunities for current students, fostering a cycle of support and success that benefits everyone.”

Board Members Join in to Support Mosaic Scholarships

The TUC Alumni Association Board of Directors had a strong showing for the Gala.

Dr. Jennifer Himmel (DO Class of 2002) is President of the Board. She flew out from her home in the Tidewater area of Virginia to attend the Gala in support of the Mosaic Scholarship Program.

This was Himmel’s first time back on campus since she graduated.

Himmel said she was moved by what she saw and heard during her visit, particularly the story shared by a past Mosaic Scholar.

Student Doctor Andrew “Andre” Ailoje spent time while growing up in numerous countries across several continents. He’s the only member of his family without the sickle cell trait and watched family members as they were treated in various countries throughout their lives.

Those experiences taught him the importance of empathy in the practice of medicine.

Ailoje came to the U.S. as a foreign national with his family and became a “Dreamer” due to his immigration status. His dreams of attending medical school and becoming a physician were put on hold not only by his immigration status, but by the death of his father, a loss that saw him take on a primary role in taking care of his family.

But he weathered those challenges – and announced to applause his current status as a U.S. citizen.

The emotions Himmel experienced during Ailoje’s talk came through later while recalling his speech. She also spoke of the changes to the campus and the scope of the programs since she was last here.

“I was really proud, last night,” Himmel said the day after the Gala while preparing to record a session for “The Current” alumni podcast. “The young man who spoke – I’m going to get teary – the young man who spoke about how that scholarship made medical school available to him, when he so clearly deserved it, was just really touching. I was just really proud to be part of it.”

“This is my university,” she said as she recalled her time as a member of the University’s second graduating class. “I felt like we were always scrambling, and we were always replanning, and we always had a contingency plan. And we were always like, ‘We’re going to work here until we can do this. We’re building.’ We were always building, and when we left we were kind of thrown into the wind to try to continue to build and to build out in the world. And to come back and see what we started has come to this … it’s just amazing.”

Alumnae Record Messages of Encouragement

Members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors took the opportunity of the Gala to take care of some business.

Joining Himmel were Board Vice President Maureen McGhee (MSPAS/MPH Class of 2008), Treasurer Brenda Mitchell (MA.Ed. Class of 2015), and Directors Dr. Brigitte Ouabo (PharmD Class of 2016) and Jeanette Blanks (MSN Class of 2022, FNP Class of 2023).

Ex-officio officers present included Hendriksz; Andrea Garcia, Vice President of University Advancement; Glen Faison, TUC’s Alumni Engagement Director; and Student Doctor Trevor Chan-Seville (MSMHS Class of 2023, DO candidate Class of 2027), Student Government Association Vice President-Alumni.

Himmel, McGhee, Ouabo, and Mitchell recorded a series of brief “Where Are They Now” videos during the opening hour of the Gala. The recordings will be used in a campaign to gather similar brief videos from TUC alumni. Those videos will then be shared with current students to encourage them to further success.

Chan-Seville later assisted Himmel as she pulled the name of the winner of a $250 Amazon gift card, a drawing based on participation in a survey of alumni conducted in late 2023 and early 2024.

The winner was Myrra Windau (MSPAS/MPH Class of 2010).