A Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra string quartet performs during the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences’ Volunteer Appreciation Night.
Volunteer Appreciation Night Features Awards, BPO Concert
By Dirk Hoffman
Published January 15, 2025
Volunteer faculty, donors and the many others who make outstanding contributions to the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences were honored during an awards ceremony and Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra string quartet concert Jan. 13 during the school’s second annual Volunteer Appreciation Night.
“Our Heartbeat: A Night of Heartfelt Volunteer, Faculty, and Staff Appreciation,” took place in the second floor atrium of the Jacobs School building on a snowy night in downtown Buffalo.
“We are gathered here tonight to express our gratitude to our volunteer faculty, donors and many others,” said Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, UB’s vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School. “They are the heartbeat of our organization, driving innovation and shaping the future of health care.”
Shashwat Shah, a second-year medical student and president of Polity, the Jacobs School’s student government, opened the proceedings by sharing his fellow students’ appreciation for volunteer faculty’s encouragement and mentorship, and for donors’ generous support.
Brashear thanked Shah for sharing the students’ perspective, noting it was “inspiring to hear how the support of our dedicated faculty and generous donors significantly impacts student lives.”
“Their contributions are invaluable in shaping our students’ educational journeys and future successes,” she said. “Thank you for acknowledging their vital role.”
The Jacobs School sees the recruitment and retention of volunteer faculty as essential to maintaining its excellence of medical education and ensuring the continued advancement of health care. For more information about how to volunteer, one can email jsmbsome@buffalo.edu.
Michael Rade, MD ’75, is honored with a Volunteer Faculty Student Recognition certificate. At left is Shashwat Shah, Polity president. At right is Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, dean of the Jacobs School.
Four Faculty Members Honored With Awards
Four awards were announced at the event:
The Dean’s Recognition for Exemplary Service Award was presented to Pratibha Bansal, MD, a pain management specialist, and a clinical assistant professor of medicine.
After completing her medical education and training in both India and the United States, she became Western New York’s first fellowship-trained, board-certified intervention pain management specialist.
Bansal served as director of pain services at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital and founded Pain Rehab of WNY, where she served as medical director until June 2024.
Last November, she was honored with the Physician of the Year Award by the Asian American Physicians Association of WNY.
The Volunteer Faculty Student Recognition certificate was presented to Michael Rade, MD ’75, a clinical assistant professor of surgery, “in recognition of his outstanding dedication and invaluable contributions as a volunteer faculty member at the school.”
“His commitment to student success and engagement has made a significant impact on our academic community,” said Shah, the Polity president.
Beth A. Smith, MD ’00, was awarded the Volunteer Partnership Champion certificate.
Brashear noted that Smith holds many titles in the Jacobs School, including clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics; interim chair of psychiatry; and chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
“Dr. Smith, this certificate is proudly presented to you in recognition of your outstanding leadership and dedication in building meaningful relationships and engaging volunteers in your department,” Brashear said.
The Volunteer Dedication Excellence certificate was presented to Charles M. Severin, MD ’97, PhD, emeritus associate professor of pathology and anatomical sciences.
“This certificate is proudly presented to you in recognition of your unwavering dedication and exceptional contributions as a volunteer faculty member,” Brashear said.
“Dr. Severin said he was going to retire, and he did retire, but I swear I see him every day!” she remarked, eliciting much laughter from the audience.
BPO Quartet Offers Sublime Performance
Other organizations and groups that were thanked included:
- Office of Medical Admissions
- Medical Alumni Association
- medical emeritus faculty
- volunteer faculty
- student Polity leaders and representatives
- student orientation leaders
- Dean’s Advisory Council
- UB DoctHERS
- WNY Scholarship Committee
- and many others dedicated to the school’s mission
The evening concluded with an intimate, one-hour performance by a string quartet of Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra musicians.
They were:
- Anton Shelopov, violinist and assistant concertmaster
- Xiaofan Liu, second violin
- Anna Shemetyeva, associate principal viola
- Roman Mekinulov, principal cello