Philanthropy
Football Game Sunday, Anatomy Lab Monday
Fund honors the woman who paved the way to medical school.
Orthopedic surgeon Malcolm Snider MD’78 is on call at a hospital in Salem, Oregon, but he takes a few minutes to reminisce about his years in Wisconsin — when he juggled both professional football and medical school, and he met a special person he has never forgotten.
“I came from a medical family and majored in pre-med at Stanford,” he recalls. “I also played football, so when I was a high draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons, I made the choice to go with the money.”
The money in 1970 was a staggering $12,000. “To put it in perspective,” says Snider with a laugh, “my freshman roommate graduated with a BS in engineering and went to work for the same salary.”
Yet, even while playing offensive tackle/guard in the National Football League, Snider hoped to go to medical school. He took graduate classes during the off-season and considered playing football in Canada, where he could have attended school full time.
Orthopedic surgeon Malcolm Snider MD’78 is on call at a hospital in Salem, Oregon, but he takes a few minutes to reminisce about his years in Wisconsin — when he juggled both professional football and medical school, and he met a special person he has never forgotten.
“I came from a medical family and majored in pre-med at Stanford,” he recalls. “I also played football, so when I was a high draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons, I made the choice to go with the money.”
The money in 1970 was a staggering $12,000. “To put it in perspective,” says Snider with a laugh, “my freshman roommate graduated with a BS in engineering and went to work for the same salary.”
Yet, even while playing offensive tackle/guard in the National Football League, Snider hoped to go to medical school. He took graduate classes during the off-season and considered playing football in Canada, where he could have attended school full time.
“I guess [the Falcons] got tired of my whining about school, so they traded me to the Green Bay Packers,” Snider says.
He reported to the Packers in 1972 and played forty-two games for coach Dan Devine.
During that same year, what Snider calls an “absolute accident” happened that would change his life. In the late 1960s, the UW’s medical school was forced to turn away qualified applicants due to a shortage of space. To accommodate additional students, the school implemented the Independent Study Program (ISP). The program provided nontraditional students a way to complete their first two years of medical school, which at the time consisted primarily of labs and lectures.
“It was blind luck to get into independent study,” Snider says. I could do my preclinical [training] at my own speed, in my own time.” The one day a week that the Packers had off during the playing season, Snider drove to Madison, worked in the anatomy and biochemistry labs, used the provided study aids, and met with faculty. He attended school full time during the off-season, and within three years he was able to complete the equivalent of the first two years of medical school.
He reported to the Packers in 1972 and played forty-two games for coach Dan Devine.
During that same year, what Snider calls an “absolute accident” happened that would change his life. In the late 1960s, the UW’s medical school was forced to turn away qualified applicants due to a shortage of space. To accommodate additional students, the school implemented the Independent Study Program (ISP). The program provided nontraditional students a way to complete their first two years of medical school, which at the time consisted primarily of labs and lectures.
“It was blind luck to get into independent study,” Snider says. I could do my preclinical [training] at my own speed, in my own time.” The one day a week that the Packers had off during the playing season, Snider drove to Madison, worked in the anatomy and biochemistry labs, used the provided study aids, and met with faculty. He attended school full time during the off-season, and within three years he was able to complete the equivalent of the first two years of medical school.
While trying to wear both Packer and Badger hats, Snider met Isabelle Peterson, the medical school’s registrar and best friend to hundreds of students. “I was struggling with schedules and getting things done, and she always helped,” Snider says. “Everyone loved her. When I started making some money, I started giving to the Isabelle Peterson Fund at the medical school out of loyalty to Isabelle.”
While attending UW-Madison, Snider met his wife, Kathie Melhuse, a native of Stoughton, Wisconsin, and then a member of the Wisconsin Alumni Association staff.
In 1983, after Snider completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the UW Hospital and Clinics, the Sniders moved to Oregon. In addition to his busy private practice, Snider also served as team doctor for twenty years at his former high school and at the local college.
Although he has returned to the UW-Madison campus several times, he has seen only one game at Lambeau Field. “A friend in Oregon convinced me to go,” says Snider. “He’s a crazy Packer fan — but I guess that’s redundant.”
— Merry Anderson
While attending UW-Madison, Snider met his wife, Kathie Melhuse, a native of Stoughton, Wisconsin, and then a member of the Wisconsin Alumni Association staff.
In 1983, after Snider completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the UW Hospital and Clinics, the Sniders moved to Oregon. In addition to his busy private practice, Snider also served as team doctor for twenty years at his former high school and at the local college.
Although he has returned to the UW-Madison campus several times, he has seen only one game at Lambeau Field. “A friend in Oregon convinced me to go,” says Snider. “He’s a crazy Packer fan — but I guess that’s redundant.”
— Merry Anderson
Forever a Teacher
Personal career path leads alumnus to create chair in economics.
Coming back to campus in the spring is a ritual for many alumni, but economist Richard “Dick” Meese MA’76, PhD’78 didn’t return last May only to reminisce.
He visited to announce a gift to create the Richard A. Meese Chair in Applied Econometrics; he lectured to students; and he and his spouse, Elizabeth “Liz” Christensen, were inducted into the Van Hise Circle, the UW Foundation’s honor society for million-dollar donors.
“We are grateful for his loyalty to the department,” says Ken West, economics department chair. “His gift increases the margin of excellence, allowing us to attract and retain topnotch economists and researchers. We also are extremely grateful to him for volunteering to make time in his busy schedule to talk to undergraduate students about the importance of an education in economics.”
After earning his doctorate, Meese went to work as a staff economist in the international finance division of the Federal Reserve Board.
“I always knew when I went to the Fed that I would eventually try to return to an academic job. My best opportunity was to go to the central bank,” he says. “I was fortunate enough to get into a research division where I had time to get a few publications and research done, which made me more marketable in academia.”
Meese found his opportunity as a professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley. He spent the next sixteen years in academics, focusing on international finance.
Coming back to campus in the spring is a ritual for many alumni, but economist Richard “Dick” Meese MA’76, PhD’78 didn’t return last May only to reminisce.
He visited to announce a gift to create the Richard A. Meese Chair in Applied Econometrics; he lectured to students; and he and his spouse, Elizabeth “Liz” Christensen, were inducted into the Van Hise Circle, the UW Foundation’s honor society for million-dollar donors.
“We are grateful for his loyalty to the department,” says Ken West, economics department chair. “His gift increases the margin of excellence, allowing us to attract and retain topnotch economists and researchers. We also are extremely grateful to him for volunteering to make time in his busy schedule to talk to undergraduate students about the importance of an education in economics.”
After earning his doctorate, Meese went to work as a staff economist in the international finance division of the Federal Reserve Board.
“I always knew when I went to the Fed that I would eventually try to return to an academic job. My best opportunity was to go to the central bank,” he says. “I was fortunate enough to get into a research division where I had time to get a few publications and research done, which made me more marketable in academia.”
Meese found his opportunity as a professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley. He spent the next sixteen years in academics, focusing on international finance.
Meese liked teaching and academic work, but, he says, “I found that instead of just writing about business, I wanted to participate in it.” In 1998, he left his professorship, and the couple moved across the bay to San Francisco. He became a managing director at Barclays Global Investors, where he conducts market research supporting BGI’s investment strategies and works with clients.
“I got the opportunity to build a business. It sounds like a big change; I still do research, although as an academic the coin of the realm is publishing, and the firm would prefer I didn’t publish any of my findings,” he says with a smile. “And talking to clients is a lot like teaching.”
Meese’s time at Berkeley, where he held a chair and served as an associate dean, led him to tie few restrictions to the new UW-Madison chair; the main qualifier is noteworthy applied work in economics.
“I know how important it is to attract and retain good faculty,” he says. “I also know from my experience as an academic administrator — an associate dean — that when someone gives you a chair, it helps if not a lot of restrictions are attached to that support. I’ve tried to make it very flexible, while still imposing a little bit of structure on who I’d like to be in it.”
— Chris DuPré
“I got the opportunity to build a business. It sounds like a big change; I still do research, although as an academic the coin of the realm is publishing, and the firm would prefer I didn’t publish any of my findings,” he says with a smile. “And talking to clients is a lot like teaching.”
Meese’s time at Berkeley, where he held a chair and served as an associate dean, led him to tie few restrictions to the new UW-Madison chair; the main qualifier is noteworthy applied work in economics.
“I know how important it is to attract and retain good faculty,” he says. “I also know from my experience as an academic administrator — an associate dean — that when someone gives you a chair, it helps if not a lot of restrictions are attached to that support. I’ve tried to make it very flexible, while still imposing a little bit of structure on who I’d like to be in it.”
— Chris DuPré
A Head Start on College
More than seventy incoming freshmen got a taste of life at UW-Madison — while taking two courses for credit — before the fall semester had even begun.
The Summer Collegiate Experience (SCE) is an eight-week program that gives students in underrepresented groups a head start on academics. Students live in residence halls, and tuition, housing, and books are covered by private support.
Stan ’56 and Linda Sher, of Washington, D.C., have contributed to the program’s success. Stan Sher, who serves on the board of visitors for the College of Letters and Science, was inspired by a presentation by SCE participants at a board meeting. “I was very impressed that they identified this program as the single most important experience in acclimating, setting the tone, and helping them become successful college students,” he says.
The success of campus initiatives such as the Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence, which targets middle-school students, is having a dramatic impact on SCE. “The size of the SCE program has more than doubled in the past few years,” says Letters and Science Dean Gary Sandefur. “Stan’s support comes at a great time.”
“Coming into a large university is difficult,” says Stan Sher. “There are many distractions, and sorting out what is important can be complicated. Having a support system at a time like that is critical. This program helps students focus, gives them confidence, and points them in the right direction.”
— Sue Zyhowski
For a printer-friendly version of this section, click here [pdf]
The Summer Collegiate Experience (SCE) is an eight-week program that gives students in underrepresented groups a head start on academics. Students live in residence halls, and tuition, housing, and books are covered by private support.
Stan ’56 and Linda Sher, of Washington, D.C., have contributed to the program’s success. Stan Sher, who serves on the board of visitors for the College of Letters and Science, was inspired by a presentation by SCE participants at a board meeting. “I was very impressed that they identified this program as the single most important experience in acclimating, setting the tone, and helping them become successful college students,” he says.
The success of campus initiatives such as the Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence, which targets middle-school students, is having a dramatic impact on SCE. “The size of the SCE program has more than doubled in the past few years,” says Letters and Science Dean Gary Sandefur. “Stan’s support comes at a great time.”
“Coming into a large university is difficult,” says Stan Sher. “There are many distractions, and sorting out what is important can be complicated. Having a support system at a time like that is critical. This program helps students focus, gives them confidence, and points them in the right direction.”
— Sue Zyhowski
For a printer-friendly version of this section, click here [pdf]
