Loma Linda University
News
March 9, 2000
- BALL honors alumni of the year for 2000 during annual banquet
- More than 300 alumni and friends attend 17th annual BALL banquet
- Teaching Learning Center celebrates Black History Month with promising research
BALL honors alumni of the year for 2000 during annual banquet
Two Black Alumni of Loma Linda and La Sierra Universities (BALL) members were named alumni of the year at the annual BALL banquet held February 26 at the Hotel Inter-Continental in downtown Los Angeles.
Named Loma Linda BALL alumna of the year was Donna L. Willis, MD, MPH, and named La Sierra BALL alumnus of the year was James L. Kyle II, MD.
Donna L. Willis, MD, MPH, a graduate of the 1977A class of Loma Linda University School of Medicine, is on the faculty of the department of internal medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. She is also host of the live one-hour call-in cable television show "OnCall with Dr. Donna Willis," reaching 8.2 million households in the Northeast.
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Donna L. Willis, MD, MPH |
As Dr. Willis developed her philosophy of practicing medicine, she began to ask questions, including: What if it was possible to simplify the way people think about their life and health and then guide them to an assortment of resources in their community, nation, and world that could assist them in choosing a better life? What if it were possible to guide them to an assortment of simple personal tools that respects their family and other relationship systems? What if they had an interactive way to practice achieving their health goals?
Finding answers to these questions has been Dr. Willis' mission for 23 years. Her father, Pastor R. Leslie Willis, brought her to Loma Linda University in 1974. On the first day of her medical education journey he asked her to read one book before she graduated--The Ministry of Healing. She was 23 years old when she graduated in 1977. In May, 2000, exactly 23 years will have passed.
Dr. Willis completed her internal medicine residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and received a master's degree in public health from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, in health services management and policy. She has served as an associate program director for the internal medicine residency program at Kettering Medical Center/Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio. Prior to this she served as medical director of the West Dayton Health Center, National Health Service Corp in the United States Public Health Services, establishing a partnership with United Way Health Services to deliver low-cost volunteer health education, social service for low income, elderly, and youth clients, which led to decreased emergency room and hospital visits. Her media experiences cover a range of venues which include network television as the medical correspondent of NBC's "Today" show; host and executive producer for 20th Century Fox's health show; "The Operation," which airs on The Learning Channel; the Discovery Channel's "Discovery Now;" and NBC affiliates WMAR Channel 2 in Baltimore, Maryland, and WKEF Channel 22 in Dayton, Ohio.
"My true focus," says Dr. Willis, "has been to identify and manage the various elements of the modern global society that most people try to access to realize their life and health potential. My mission is to connect the various elements of the best in academia with the best in community models, and the best convergence media, in order to achieve the goals of Healthy People 2010, guided by the principles in The Ministry of Healing, in the language of today's popular culture. This is my modern day version of the ministry of healing, high-tech converging interactivity with high-touch person-to-person activities, because health cannot be achieved in isolation."
La Sierra University BALL alumnus of the year James L. Kyle II, MD, is administrative dean for Charles R. Drew University College of Medicine, in Los Angeles. He also serves as chief medical officer/vice president for clinical business development compliance officer for the university's School of Medicine and Science.
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James L. Kyle II, MD |
Dr. Kyle's primary responsibility is to create new direct contracting
and other business opportunities for the university.
Drew University is located in the central portion of Watts, and is dedicated to serving the health-care and educational needs of Los Angeles and of the nation.
Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Kyle was president and chief executive officer of Sharp Health Plan, one of Southern California's most innovative care systems.
In addition to his responsibilities with Charles R. Drew University, Dr. Kyle is pastor of the Breath of Life Seventh-day Adventist Church located in Culver City, where he shares his great love for youth ministry.
A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine; Andrews Theological Seminary, Berrien Springs, Michigan; and Loma Linda University, Dr. Kyle has attained an impressive record of national and international service, both in practice and in managed care. He has served as an internist and medical advisor, as a consultant, and medical offices and operations director for numerous businesses and community organizations.
He has been a field director, pastor, and director of ministries with inner city and international charitable organizations. He has also served on five hospital staffs, and has been a faculty member at San Diego State and Drew Universities.
Dr. Kyle has received numerous leadership, academic, and service awards, including two Doctor of the Year awards, the Recognition Award from the National Association of Medical Minority Educators (for outstanding community service and achievement in academic excellence), and a Certificate of Merit from the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners and the Los Angeles Human Relations Committee, among others.
Now a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve, he received various Army commendation medals and service awards, including the Award for Operations for his work in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
In addition, Dr. Kyle has held various leadership appointments in Southern California community organizations, including chair of the Venice/Oakwood Community Coalition Against Gang Violence. He is also founder of Operation H.O.P.E, and serves as board chair for the organization.
More than 300 alumni and friends attend 17th annual BALL banquet
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| During the banquet, six students from La Sierra University and Loma Linda University were recognized for their academic excellence and received scholarship awards. Pictured are LLU scholarship recipients (from left) Olusola Odusote, School of Public Health; Leander La'Mar Moncur, School of Medicine; Alson Atkinson, Graduate School; and Charlie Jo Morgan, RN, PhD, assistant professor, School of Nursing. |
The Loma Linda University Diversity Leadership Award was presented to Charles E. Bradford, DD, "in acknowledgment of your lifelong commitment to the education of minority young people at Loma Linda University." |
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The 17th Annual Scholarship Banquet, sponsored by the Black Alumni of Loma Linda and La Sierra Universities (BALL), was held on February 26 at Hotel Intercontinental in downtown Los Angeles. More than 300 guests attended the affair. |
Kweisi Mfume, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was the guest speaker for the evening. Mr. Mfume made a moving presentation which included recognition of the progress America has made in race relations, but also poignant reminders of the barriers to equal opportunity which remain. |
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Leroy Reese, MD, treasurer of BALL, and Minority Introduction to the Health Sciences (MITHS) program director (far left); and Carlton B. Sampson, MD, MITHS committee member (far right), thank Brian S. Bull, MD, vice president for clinical faculty, LLU, and dean, School of Medicine (second from left); Ralph Perrin, DrPH, dean of student affairs (third from left); and Charles J. Goodacre, DDS, MSD (not pictured), for their support of the MITHS program. |
M. Leon Seard, MD (left), presents Ronald L. Anderson, MD, accepting on behalf of Donna L. Willis, MD, MPH, with the Black Alumni of Loma Linda University and La Sierra University Alumna of the Year Award for the year 2000. |
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The featured speaker for the event was Kweisi Mfume, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Mr. Mfume made a moving presentation which included recognition of the progress America has made in race relations, but also poignant reminders of the barriers to equal opportunity which remain. He also paid tribute to BALL for its commitment to minority educational access and excellence and its many accomplishments on behalf of young scholars of African descent.
Named the 2000 Alumni of the Year were Donna L. Willis, MD, MPH, and James L. Kyle II, MD.
Special recognition was given to three individuals during the evening--Brian S. Bull, MD, vice president for clinical faculty, LLU, and dean, School of Medicine; Ralph Perrin, DrPH, LLU dean of student affairs; and Charles J. Goodacre, DDS, MSD, LLU School of Dentistry dean, for their support of the Minority Introduction to the Health Sciences program.
Scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $2,500 were awarded to six students that evening. LSU awardees included Olubukonla O. Kolawole, social work; Daryl Griffith, social work; and Nevious C. Osborne, biology/business administration. LLU awardees included Alson Atkinson, Graduate School; Leander La'Mar Moncur, School of Medicine; and Olusola Odusote, School of Public Health.
BALL was formed in 1980 as a support system for minority students. Gaines R. Partridge, EdD, former LLU dean of student affairs, along with other interested alumni, formed the organization to address the needs of Black students at Loma Linda University.
The mission of the Black Alumni of Loma Linda University is to be instrumental in promoting and facilitating Christian professional health-science education of Black young men and women at Loma Linda University and La Sierra University.
About the speaker
Kweisi Mfume (pronounced Kwah-EE-see Oom-Foo-may) became president and chief executive officer of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on February 15, 1996, after being unanimously elected to the post by the NAACP's board of directors. Mr. Mfume gave up his seat in the United States Congress where, for 10 years, he had represented Maryland's 7th Congressional District before assuming the NAACP presidency.
Kweisi Mfume, whose West African name means "conquering son of kings," was born, raised, and educated in Baltimore, and it was there that he followed his dreams to impact society and shape a more human public policy. Mr. Mfume became politically active as a freshman in college as editor of the school's newspaper and as head of the Black Student Union. He graduated magna cum laude from Morgan State University in 1976 and later returned as adjunct professor, teaching courses in both political science and communications. Several years later he earned a master's degree in liberal arts with a concentration in international studies from Johns Hopkins University.
As Mr. Mfume's community involvement grew so did his popularity as an activist, organizer, and radio talk show host. He translated that approval into a grass roots election victory when he won a seat on the Baltimore City Council in 1979 by a margin of just three votes.
During his seven years of service in local government, Councilman Mfume led the efforts to diversify city government, improve community safety, enhance minority business development, and divest city funds from the apartheid government of South Africa. In 1986, he was decisively elected to the congressional seat that he was to hold for the next decade.
As a member of Congress, he was active with broad committee obligations, serving on the banking and financial services committee. He held the ranking Democratic seat on the general oversight and investigations subcommittee; and served as a member of the committee on education and as a senior member of the small business committee. While in his third term, the Speaker of the House chose him to serve on the full ethics committee and joint economic committee of the House and Senate, where he later became chair.
As a member of the House of Representatives, Congressman Mfume consistently advocated landmark minority business and civil rights legislation. He successfully co-sponsored and helped to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act, and authorized the minority contracting and employment amendments to the Financial Institutions Reform and Recovery Act. He strengthened the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and amended the Community Reinvestment Act in the interest of minority financial institutions. He co-authored and amended the Civil Rights Act of 1991 to apply the act to U. S. citizens working for American-based companies abroad. He also sponsored legislative initiatives banning assault weapons and establishing stalking as a federal crime.
Mr. Mfume served two successful years as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and later served as the caucus' chair of the task force to preserve affirmative action. During his last term in Congress, he was appointed by the House Democratic Caucus as the vice chair for communications.
Since assuming the position of president and CEO of the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization, Mr. Mfume has presided over the elimination of the association's debt, raised the standards and expectations of NAACP branches nationwide, and has worked with NAACP volunteers across the country to help usher in a whole new generation of civil rights leaders.
His five-point action agenda which encompasses civil rights, political empowerment, educational excellence, economic development, and youth outreach, has given the NAACP a clear and compelling blueprint for the 21st century.
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The Joe Bagg Quartet entertains the guests with a variety of jazz selections. |
B. Lyn Behrens, MBBS, president of Loma Linda University, greets banquet guests. |
Mr. Mfume is a formal member of the Board of Visitors of the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, and the Advisory Board of the Schomburg Commission for the Preservation of Black Culture. He presently serves on the Morgan State University Board of Regents, the senior advisory committee of the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, the Meyerhoff National Advisory Board of the University of Maryland, and the board of trustees for Enterprise Foundation.
Mr. Mfume is also an honorary chair of the Theater for a New Generation Advocacy at Baltimore's Center Stage, and a member of Big Brothers and Big Sisters. His background in broadcasting includes 13 years in radio. For the last five years he has hosted local and national television broadcasts. He is the recipient of seven honorary doctoral degrees and hundreds of awards, proclamations, and citations. His best-selling autobiography is titled No Free Ride.
Teaching Learning Center celebrates Black History Month with promising research
The Teaching Learning Center at Loma Linda University celebrated Black History Month this February with an inspirational message for all students: Your potential is enormous.
A six-year analysis of the Center's student performance data (see graph at end of story) found that students who learned ways to improve their study skills, such as reading speed and reading comprehension, showed dramatic improvements when compared with peers who had not taken study skills classes. The analysis found that Black students, in particular, showed vast improvement.
Black students, on average, increased their reading efficiency by 427 percent, to 1,243 words per minute from 236 words per minute, as measured by pre- and post-tests assessing performance before and after taking Teaching Learning Center classes. Hispanic students experienced an average 286 percent increase to 818 words per minute from 212 words per minute. Caucasian students experienced an average 288 percent increase to 885 words per minute from 229 words per minute. The same trend held true with measures of reading speed and reading comprehension.
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The sample of data included 295 students: 51 of the students were
Black, 37 were Hispanic, and 207 were Caucasian. Other ethnic backgrounds
were not included in this survey. Each student had taken the Center's
ABLE III class, an advanced dynamic reading/ thinking course which focuses
on reading speed, comprehension, and brain-compatible information processing
skills.
The differences between before and after results were statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference among any of the groups at baseline, meaning they all started out reading at essentially the same level.
It is important to note that students in each ethnic group dramatically improved their study skills by taking Teaching Learning Center classes. This underscores the crucial fact that everyone can learn to become a better student by systematically improving fundamental learning skills.
"We were very delighted to see this pattern emerge from our data," says Center director Shirani de Alwis-Chand, EdD. "What this suggests to us is that any student who applies himself or herself and is dedicated to improving his or her study skills can become a more proficient learner through classes such as our own."
In his address titled "The purpose of education," given at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., referred to the importance of developing study skills.
"Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life," Dr. King said. "Education must also train one for quick, resolute, and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one's self is very difficult....The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically."
The Teaching Learning Center is an on-campus educational center that offers classes emphasizing dynamic thinking and learning skills, public speaking, and writing. The curriculum is structured around "brain-compatible learning theory," meaning students are taught theory and skills congruent with the latest scientific knowledge on how the brain works best. The Teaching Learning Center espouses a philosophy of holistic learning, with emphases on stress reduction, exercise, proper nutrition, and time management. The Center was founded in 1993 by the Graduate School, under the leadership of Dr. de Alwis-Chand.
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