Dean Duane Mezwa Retirement

August 22, 2023

Today is a bittersweet day.

It’s bitter for us for we send off one of the best friends Oakland and OUWB has ever had…..

….but probably sweet for Duane and his family.

And I’m personally really going to miss Duane because he’s one of the only people I can call when I wake up….which can be as early as 4:30 in the morning.

I could always depend on Duane answering my calls.
And I have loved our conversations because we talked about things that really matter.

We talked about our wonderful medical students.
We talked about the compassionate care delivered at Corewell Health.
We talked about medical education, and biomedical ethics.
And….we talked about diversity, equity and inclusion in medicine today….and how to improve health care in these challenging times.

Duane has been an amazing dean of OUWB.

As the second full-time dean of OUWB, there has been no better practitioner of OUWB’s kindness curriculum.

You can find him playing billiards with students in the Student Lounge, and not hesitating to advise students on their careers . . . never failing to show the true characteristics of a compassionate physician and educator.

And, Duane has been a strong advocate for the mental health of the students, faculty and staff by increasing resources and the number of counselors at OUWB.

Duane personifies what we expect from of our deans….

He is approachable.
Takes great pride in being a mentor…
And he has the willingness to listen and understand the unique journey of each student.

On a personal level, I have so appreciated Duane’s willingness to be a team player and his support of other deans…

He has attended every commencement ceremony for each academic unit.

There are so many ways that Duane has left his mark – his imprint – on OUWB.

He has been involved since the inception of the medical school.

He has served as vice chair of the admissions committee and the student performance review committee.

He led the school through the LCME review and its reaccreditation….

….and he played a critical role in extending OU’s affiliation agreement with Corewell Health…

Duane has made strong connections with donors, and friends of the university and medical school, some of whom are here today with us….

…and he has also work tirelessly to increase donor engagement by more than 300 percent.

He played a key role in founding and fundraising for the Holocaust and Medicine program…..

For the past two years, he accompanied students on trips to Auschwitz, a journey that transcends geography and confronts students with moral and ethical questions. It’s a trip that is among the truly unique features of an OUWB medical education.

And to further augment our students’ awareness of their obligation as physicians, Duane was instrumental in establishing the Center for Moral Values in Medicine and Health, a program that is receiving national recognition.

Duane has made an enormous contribution in raising funds for student scholarships…

…the result has led to doubling the amount of scholarships at OUWB since 2018….

…creating 18 new scholarships ….

He’s addressed student debt, establishing the annual OUWB golf outing to raise money for scholarships with Corewell Health as the title sponsor…

In many ways, Duane’s influence and impression are indelible at OUWB.

And his presence will be felt into the future.

As an example, in May, with the philanthropic support from Corewell Health, we announced the Duane Mezwa M.D. Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine Recruitment Scholarship.

The $2 million endowment allows us to provide a full-ride scholarship for one medical student. After that student graduates, then another student will receive a four-year scholarship.

The scholarship will be used to attract top candidates to OUWB.

I would like to especially thank Dr. Ben Schwartz for his wonderful partnership and friendship….and for being instrumental in establishing the scholarship…

…and our thanks to Margaret Casey from the Beaumont Foundation…Margaret is here with us today.

Last, we all know, but I want to say, that Duane’s presence, kindness and contributions are now part of OUWB history….

The true mark of a person’s contribution can be measure by the extent that their presence is felt long after they have gone….

Duane, on behalf of the entire Oakland University and OUWB community, we are grateful for all you have done for our beloved medical school…

…for our students…
…and for serving as mentor and an upstanding example of the OUWB values of integrity, compassion, and commitment to caring.

May you always know of the kindness and love that we have for you in our hearts.