Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy
The UMKC Alumni Association announced the 2010 Alumni Award recipients who will be honored at this year’s luncheon on April 22, 2010. There are five campus-wide awards and 12 alumni achievement awardees from each school and college. The luncheon will also feature the presentation of the Chancellor’s Medal. Following are this year’s alumni achievement awardees from the School of Medicine, School of Nursing and School of Pharmacy.
Marianna Martin Sockrider – School of Medicine – M.D. 1983
“UMKC gave me the start on my life’s journey as it gave me the path to a career in medicine. I always felt that the School of Medicine valued innovation in education; that reinforced my interest in teaching and commitment to stay in academic medicine.”
For Marianna Martin Sockrider, a childhood dream of becoming a teacher came true when she became an M.D. Now an associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Martin Sockrider has received both a Fulbright and a Jaworski Excellence in Teaching Award and serves as chair of the American Lung Association’s Children’s Lung Health Committee in the San Jacinto Region. She was honored with The Barbara and Corbin J. Robertson Jr. Presidential Award for Excellence in Education, and was named to Inside Houston Magazine‘s Best Women Doctors list.
Lois Hopson – School of Nursing – B.A. 1974; B.S.N. 1983; M.S.N. 1998
“I have fond memories of working days and taking night classes at UMKC and hoping I wouldn’t fall asleep. I cannot imagine my life without UMKC – it is the ‘glue’ that keeps me together. The more people at all levels know about the University, the greater the benefit to them.”
Upon graduating from the General Hospital School of Nursing in 1969, Lois Hopson knew her ability to help patients deal with social concerns would hinge on integrating her nursing background with psychology and sociology. She earned psychology, sociology and advanced nursing degrees, and she provides valuable support to University nursing alumni programs. Hopson has served on the board of the UMKC Nursing Alumni and on the advisory board of the Penn Valley College Nursing department and has given back to the community by volunteering for the Black Health Care Association, the Samuel Rogers Health Center and the American Heart Association.
Benjamin Bluml – School of Pharmacy – B.S.P. 1984
“Getting my degree at UMKC was a challenging educational experience that created a coordinated sense of determination and confidence. It was a great time for my fusion of interests in technology and professional health care practice, as personal computers were first coming onto the scene.”
A career path that started with ham radio in junior high, continued through a high school job at a local pharmacy and to the UMKC School of Pharmacy has culminated in Benjamin Bluml’s present position as vice president of the American Pharmacists Association Foundation. A pioneer in pharmaceutical software, Bluml has developed groundbreaking software applications for surgical operations, diabetic self-managements and the first national health outcomes tracking database. Bluml serves UMKC as an adjunct clinical faculty member and as a member of the School of Pharmacy Dean’s Advisory Council.
