Jacobs School invites alumni, faculty and health care community partners to celebrate 180th anniversary, honor President Tripathi, Hon. Peoples-Stokes

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo will mark its 180th anniversary at a Night of Distinction, recognizing leaders whose vision continues to shape health care in Western New York. The awards reception and dinner will take place May 2 at The Powerhouse Buffalo, 144 Lee St., Buffalo.

The event is open to all Jacobs School alumni, faculty, students, residents and community partners. It begins with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by a sit-down dinner and awards ceremony at 7 p.m., and concludes with dessert and dancing.

Information on how to purchase tickets and sponsorships is available online. UBMD Physicians’ Group is the event’s presenting sponsor.

The awards ceremony will be highlighted by the presentation of the inaugural George and Kelly Ellis Medal to UB President Satish K. Tripathi and the Community Health Care Advocacy Award to Hon. Crystal Peoples-Stokes. Both honorees are recognized for championing progress that will shape Buffalo’s health landscape for generations.

The inaugural Catalyst for Change Award will be presented to John J. Bodkin II, MD, ’76; Michael O’Mara; and Ed Rutkowski for their integral roles in bringing the Buffalo Primary Care Initiative (BPCI) to fruition. They are being recognized for helping advance this bold program designed to address physician shortages, alleviate medical student debt and improve access to care in Buffalo’s most medically underserved neighborhoods.

Recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award to be honored are Renier J. Brentjens, MD, ’96, PhD, deputy director and chair of medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center; David S. Kountz, MD ’85, chief academic officer, Hackensack Meridian Health; and Elinor R. Schoenfeld, PhD ’88, research professor and associate vice chair of research, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University.

Honoring the 50th reunion of the class of 1976, the event will highlight the BPCI’s fundraising effort to endow four full-tuition scholarships annually for three years, with the ultimate goal of sustaining 12 three-year primary care scholarships for students who pledge to stay and practice in primary care in Buffalo for at least five years after residency.

“As we celebrate the Jacobs School’s 180th anniversary, I invite our alumni and community to join us in transforming health care across Buffalo. In too many neighborhoods, access to health care is still not a given,” says Allison Brashear, MD, vice president for health sciences and Jacobs School dean. “When you attend the Night of Distinction celebration or contribute to the Buffalo Primary Care Initiative, you are helping to ensure a healthier future for all residents of our Western New York communities.”

Tripathi to receive inaugural George and Kelly Ellis Medal

Tripathi will receive the Jacobs School’s inaugural George and Kelly Ellis Medal “reserved for rare individuals whose vision and leadership have fundamentally advanced the school’s mission and elevated its standing.” Brashear explains that as the largest individual donors in the medical school’s history, George and Kelly Ellis exemplify how support can transform and elevate the Jacobs School.

“This is why President Tripathi is the inaugural recipient of this very special award,” she says. “Under his leadership, UB has experienced a remarkable era of growth, innovation and rising national prominence, and most importantly for the Jacobs School, it was under his direction that we moved to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. This visionary move expanded our research capacity, strengthened our clinical partnerships and placed us at the heart of the community we are dedicated to serving.

“By bringing education, research and clinical care into closer alignment within the region’s health innovation corridor,” she adds, “President Tripathi’s leadership has helped create a foundation for improved access, stronger community partnerships and a healthier future for all who call Western New York home.”

Assembly Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes will be honored with the Jacobs School’s Community Health Care Advocacy Award. “Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes has been a steadfast advocate for Buffalo’s neighborhoods, especially the communities most affected by historic health disparities,” says Brashear. “Even during periods of significant Medicaid strain, she has helped secure vital resources for the East and West sides of the city, bringing together health care organizations, community leaders and government partners to protect patients and maintain access to services.

“Her advocacy for the state investment that will allow Erie County Medical Center to build a new primary care center on its campus represents expanded capacity that will help connect more patients with the care they need and offer meaningful learning and training experiences for our students and residents,” she says.

The event takes place during the Jacobs School’s Alumni Weekend, which kicks off with commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2026 on May 1.

On May 2 from 9-11 a.m., Monica Bertagnolli, MD, president-elect of the National Academy of Medicine and the Richard E. Wilson Professor of Surgery Emerita, Harvard Medical School, will give the Jacobs School’s 2026 Harrington Lecture. Bertagnolli previously served as director of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute.

A full schedule of events for the weekend is available online.