On October 27, the inaugural donors were invited to a private lunch with students and tour the School of Podiatric Medicine with Dean Javier La Fontaine. This was followed by the White Coat Ceremony. Thank you to the donors who attended: Dr. & Mrs. Paul Schwarzentraub, Dr. Maureen Caldwell, Dr. Larry Harkless, Dr. Neil Campbell- TPMA President, Krista Richter- TPMF Executive Director, Dr. & Mrs. John Gouin, Dr. & Mrs. Joe Caporusso, Dr. & Mrs. Luis Venegas and Sagis Endowment representatives: Dr. Jochen Schaefer, Jeni Williams and Shawna Velasquez.

The private tour included the updated facilities, new microbiology lab, practice clinic, classrooms (including the newly named "Lawrence Harkless" classroom), and the cadaveric lab with virtual, plastinette and fresh frozen specimens. They also will be enhancing their gait lab with 16 cameras thanks to a state grant award for pursuit of medical advancement.

We also toured the administrative offices and took pictures of the new Inaugural Donor Plaque, recognizing all donors of $5000 and above in the inaugural year. TPMA and TPMF were proud to raise over $85,000 for 22 scholarships.

At the White Coat Ceremony, thirty-six students were inducted. Dr. Joe Caporusso, former TPMA and APMA President, gave a motivational keynote address. Dr. Neil Campbell, current TPMA President, also provided a message of encouragement to be involved in their profession and pinned each new student with a TPMA membership pin. Sagis Diagnostics sponsored the white coats provided to each student.

Future scholarship donations can be made directly to the new Fund for the Future supported by TPMA & TPMF.