Although it was officially incorporated in 1932, the Alumni Association started when alumni gathered informally in 1917. This page includes links to photo galleries of Alumni Association past presidents and past executive directors as well as a short article that tells the Association's history in more detail.

Past Presidents

Executive Directors

Service by School of Medicine Graduates' Mission Service

Alumni Association locations

Building the Alumni Center

School of Medicine history

School Song

Alumni Association Staff, 1956—present

A brief history of the Alumni Association, School of Medicine of Loma Linda University

When CME was young and life was simple, the 18 alumni/ae of the School decided to form an Alumni Association, complete with officers. Leslie Trott '15, served as President through 1917. His administrative abilities may be judged by the growth in membership during his three year tenure-from 18 to 41! 

The years of World War I were strenuous, and apparently the Alumni felt little organizational urge, for no record of Association activities during 1918 to 1922 survives, nor were any officers chosen until a revival in late 1922 when Leslie A. Smart '22 became President. No more such lapses have occurred. Political competition must have lagged in 1924, for Charles H. Lewis '20, elected in 1923, served two years. Five others have served two terms,

1. Emerald Steen '20
   1925 to 1926, 1929 to 1930
2. Walter E. Macpherson '24
   1931 to 1932, 1938 to 1939
3. Benton Colver AMMC '04
   1933 to 1934, 1939 to 1940
4. John E. Affeldt '44A
   1954 to 1955, 1955 to 1956
5. Floyd E. Wergeland '32
   1968 to 1969, 1970 to 1971

Two presidents were not alumni: George Thomason 1899, 1945 to 1946 and Benton Colver 1904, 1933 to 1934, 1939 to 1940.  Both were graduates of AMMC (American Medical Missionary College 1889-1910).

The Alumni Association was back in action after the war, especially when Walter Macpherson '24 realized the Association's need to be incorporated in order for any of its activities to be legal. Macpherson created a committee to draft bylaws and articles of incorporation, and the Alumni Association came into legal existence in 1932.

Not only were World War I times stressful, but also were those of World War II, when many of our alumni entered military service, some for as much as five years. The added burdens of Alumni affairs in 1941 to 1946 fell onto Roy A. Cummings '30, Paul D. Foster '33, Donald E. Griggs '24, R. Theo Bergman '30, and George Thomason '99, in that order.

We should not fail to mention the valiant efforts of our Executive Directors through the years. First on board was Jerry L. Pettis, h-'77* (1947 to 1951) who really got the Association into high gear. Jerry later became US Congressman form the district that includes Loma Linda, and after his death in 1975, his equally capable widow Shirley, succeeded him in Congress. After Jerry Pettis came Walter Crawford (1953 to 1960), then Jerre Iverson '77-hon (1975 to 1982), Gery Friesen (1982 to 1993) and since then Dennis E. Park, '07-hon* who is still in office. These men have provided managerial skill and stability to an organization which changes elected leaders yearly, and needs continuity of administration. Two of them (Jerre Iverson and Jerry Friesen) also acted as managing editors of the Alumni JOURNAL. Dennis E. Park continues in that role today. 

 Another era of special stress and decisions came in the years 1958 to 1962 when the Board of Trustees of LLU wrestled with the question of consolidating the School on one campus. This move was first urged as early as 1947, but reached a climax in 1953 (voted to remain '' status quo'') and in 1961 to 1962, when the Board swallowed hard and almost decided to move all but the first year to the Los Angeles campus, only to reverse field in late 1962 and move all to Loma Linda.

Another difficult decision, to move the whole Alumni Association operation to Loma Linda, fell onto the shoulders of master diplomat Wilfred Snodgrass '38, in 1975. The deed was done, and success ensued.

Only in 1931 did the Association office secure budget for office space and help, in the person of Mrs. Faye ( Reuben '36) Nelson, ( Mrs. Nelson's pay was $1,024 per year!) and a long train of loyal staff have followed. Currently the Alumni Association is staffed by the following who have given to date approximately 90 service years to the Alumni Association: Dennis E. Park '07-hon, executive director (19 years), Eileen Kakazu, advertising manager/secretary (1 year), Carolyn Wieder, convention manager/student affairs (24 years), Karen Sutton, finance manager/ bulding manager (23 years), Ath (A.T.) Tuot, records manager (21 years), and Janelle Michaelis, media/publications (2 years).

One of the most notable achievements of the Alumni Association has been the Alumni Fund, which has gathered contributions from alumni totaling over 17 million. Of this, approximately 6 million has gone to support research and endowed professorial chairs, while over 11 million has been devoted to the student loan fund.

*Both Jerry L. Pettis and Dennis E. Park were granted Honorary Membership to the Alumni Association.  In accordance with the bylaws of the Alumni Association, School of Medicine of Loma Linda University, Mr. Pettis was granted  Honorary Membership posthumously in 1977, and Mr. Park was granted Honorary Membership in 2007. 

Editors note: Carrol S. Small '34, updated the history of the Alumni Association, just prior to his death on August 23, 1997. Other facts have been updated and brought current as the years have progressed.