School of Medicine students, faculty and alumni honored during Homecoming Weekend
Homecoming Weekend was busy for the West Virginia University School of Medicine, with several alumni, faculty and current students taking home honors in recognition of their achievements, both past and present.
Homecoming Court
Kaleigh Papez, an occupational therapy student from Morgantown, and Olivia Quarrick, an exercise physiology major from Morgantown, were both nominated for Homecoming Royalty. During the halftime ceremony at the Homecoming football game against Oklahoma State University, Quarrick was crowned as Homecoming Royalty.
Selected by her peers during two days of voting, Quarrick was surrounded by members of the Homecoming Court and family while receiving the honor at Milan Puskar Stadium.
Homecoming Alumni and Service Awards
The WVU Alumni Association celebrates the accomplishments of Mountaineers around the globe, these awards honor individuals who represent service, commitment and loyalty to their alma mater.
The School of Medicine had two recipients, Jo Ann Shaw, M.D. and Cathy Funk, M.D., for this year’s cohort.
Loyal alumni Dr. Jo Ann Shaw, along with husband and School of Pharmacy alumni David, stand as paragons of dedication and generosity, earning them the celebrated title of 2023 Outstanding Alumni. Their legacy of innovation, education and transformation at WVU has left a mark on the institution and continues to benefit the University and West Virginia communities. The Outstanding Alumni award is the highest homecoming honor.
Dr. Funk was recognized with the James R. McCartney Community Service Award for outstanding citizenship and community service. Following the completion of her residency at the School of Medicine, Funk returned to her roots in the Eastern Panhandle, driven by a profound commitment to care for those in her local community.
School of Medicine M.D. Distinguished Alumnus Award
Vincent Traynelis, M.D., was named the 2023 West Virginia University School of Medicine Distinguished Alumnus during the M.D. Alumni Banquet that took place on Oct. 20.
Dr. Traynelis graduated from the M.D. program in 1983 and he also completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in neurosurgery. Following residency, he was a member of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Iowa for 20 years, rising to the rank of professor.
Greek Alumni Hall of Fame
Patrice Harris, M.D., Bluefield, West Virginia native and a member of the M.D. Class of 1992, was inducted as a member of the Greek Hall of Fame Zeta Class of 2023 by the Center for Fraternal Values and Leadership and the WVU Alumni Association.
Dr. Harris was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She was the 174th President of the American Medical Association and the first African American woman elected to that position.
She continues to be an expert in children’s mental health and childhood trauma, leading efforts on both local and national levels to integrate public health and behavioral health into overall healthcare and addressing the health inequities and the social determinants of health.