The annual MCV Foundation Discovery Society reception connected Williamsburg, Va., donors with expert VCU Health physicians. Photos: Daniel Sangjib Min, MCV Foundation
Connecting With Expert VCU Health Physicians in Williamsburg
About 200 of the MCV Foundation’s close friends attended the annual Discovery Society Reception this month at the newly renovated Muscarelle Museum of Art in Williamsburg, Va. The event connects society members with expert VCU Health physicians.
Margaret Ann Bollmeier, president and CEO of the MCV Foundation opened the evening with a warm welcome and gratitude for the gracious donors who continue to support VCU Health and VCU Health Sciences.
The Discovery Society unites people from greater Williamsburg who share a common goal of saving and improving lives through philanthropy at VCU Health. Members have raised over $3.3 million in new gifts and pledges this fiscal year, and the society boasts nearly 300 members who have collectively given more than $14.3 million since 2016.
This group of supporters grew out of the similarly named Discovery Series, an ongoing 10-year-old educational and outreach program that features panel discussions with VCU Health researchers and care providers.
While this year’s event celebrated the important role donors play in improving health care, research and education, it also provided an opportunity for society members to meet with 20 VCU Health physicians and researchers across nine specialties, including cardiology, geriatric medicine, orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery.
The evening included a walking dinner with Italian fare to celebrate the museum’s special exhibition: Michelangelo: The Genesis of the Sistine. Members were able explore the museum as well as rotate between tables where the physicians and researchers were stationed and ready for questions and conversation.
Attendees also heard directly from senior MCV Campus leaders including Art Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Medicine and Marlon Levy, M.D., senior vice president for health sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University and CEO of the VCU Health System.
“During the past few years, VCU Health Sciences has experienced significant growth in research funding and philanthropy, enhancing our national prominence and ability to innovate in patient care and education,” Dr. Levy said.
If you are interested in learning more about the Discovery Society or the Discovery Series, please contact Brian Thomas, the MCV Foundation’s executive vice president and chief development officer.
