A new endowment to support scholarships and research at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine has been established by the medical school’s dean.
The Richard J. Carpenter Memorial Fund was created by Christopher Carpenter, M.D., Stephan Sharf Dean, OUWB.
It’s named in honor of Richard J. Carpenter, the dean’s brother who passed away in 2010.
There are several reasons behind the establishment of the endowment.
"First and foremost, my goal was to honor Rich in a way that truly mattered," says Carpenter. "I couldn’t think of a better way to do that than by supporting the education of medical students who I believe will embody the qualities of the doctors who cared for my brother — compassionate, skilled in diagnosis, and unwavering in their commitment to providing exceptional care."
Claus Weimann, senior director, Philanthropy, OUWB, calls Carpenter’s generosity “a real delight.”
“Not only because it’s a memorial fund, but it also shows that Dr. Carpenter believes in OUWB’s mission,” he says. “It’s truly meaningful to have a leader who makes this kind of commitment.”
Giving to OUWB
Richard Carpenter was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Niemann-Pick disease type C, which essentially results in the accumulation of cholesterol glycolipids in lysosomes throughout the body and that, in turn, can lead to progressive neurological disease and premature death.
Carpenter says he was inspired to go into medicine after watching what happened to his brother, and that the decision represented the best “investment of who I am.”
After receiving his medical education at the University of Michigan and training at Duke University and Johns Hopkins University, Carpenter started in 2000 at what is now Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital (WBUH) in Royal Oak.
At WBUH, he’s held several positions: director of antimicrobial stewardship; director of the infectious disease fellowship program; head of the Section of Infectious Diseases; physician executive in what is now called the Corewell Health Medical Group East; and vice chief, Department of Internal Medicine.
In 2019, Carpenter was named the Michael E. Maddens M.D. Distinguished Chair and Chief of the Department of Internal Medicine.
On July 15, 2024, Carpenter was named the third Stephan Sharf Dean of OUWB.
He’s been involved with OUWB since inception. He was part of the interview group for the founding dean and taught at the school when it enrolled its first class. Further, he’s served on numerous committees and subcommittees, participated in admissions interviews, and more.
In a recent profile in MedConnect, OUWB’s magazine, Carpenter said being involved with the medical school is something “that just felt right to me and reflected who I am…I’ve been able to give back, support the school, and teach future generations of doctors.”
The new endowment serves as an extension of Carpenter’s commitment to OUWB.
“Rich is the reason I’m a doctor. I’m grateful that I can honor his memory by starting this endowment,” says Carpenter.
Weimann says the goal is to begin awarding funding from the endowment as soon as possible. The endowment will be used to fund scholarships and research at OUWB.
The hope is to continually grow the endowment. For example, during Oakland University’s 2025 Black & Gold Giving Day on March 5, potential donors will have the opportunity to contribute directly to the fund. (Click here for more information and to donate.)
It will be supervised by the Oakland University provost.
“The nice thing about donors who are close to our institution is that they can express the intention of their gift to the scholarship committee,” says Weimann. “That makes an endowment like this very impactful because you really fulfill the donor’s wishes.”
For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, senior marketing specialist, OUWB, at adietderich@oakland.edu.
To request an interview, visit the OUWB Communications & Marketing webpage.
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