Augusta is an important part of my story. I grew up here, graduated from John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, and later walked the halls of the Medical College of Georgia — just like my parents, Drs. Ronald and Barbara Spearman, who bumped into each other, literally, in the dorm room stairwell of Residence Four. That chance meeting kept my father in Augusta for his residency and eventually led to their marriage. Sometimes our paths unfold in beautiful, unexpected ways. I believe our steps are often ordered, even if we don’t realize it at the time.
If you had asked the 17-year-old girl I once was where she saw herself in the future, I assure you — never in a million years would she have imagined being appointed president of the Medical College of Georgia Alumni Association.
The weight and significance of this moment are not lost on me. I am both humbled and deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve. I consider myself a servant leader. I don’t ask anyone to do more than I’m willing to do myself. Life is unpredictable, and if someone needs to tend to personal matters, I want to ensure our organization doesn’t falter. Knowing how to step in, delegate, or adjust when needed means having the humility to learn each moving part, and the courage to support others in theirs.
Looking ahead, I believe that one of the greatest gifts we, as alumni, can offer is not just our financial support, but also our time and talent. We often ask for donations — and rightly so — but imagine the impact we could have if we also invested in the lives of students and prospective students by sharing our experiences, our career paths, and simply planting seeds of mentorship. That kind of outreach can change trajectories.
Whether helping an MCG alum settle into a new city, navigate the early days of academic medicine, or adjust to life in private practice, creating a strong, supportive alumni network is a cornerstone of who we are and how we strengthen this organization.
As I step into this role, I would like my tenure to be remembered as a season of reconnection, one where alumni rediscovered their sense of belonging here and one that helped lay a strong foundation for the university’s future endeavors.
Thank you for the trust you’ve placed in me and for your dedication to the legacy of MCG. I’m honored to walk alongside you in this chapter.
Warmest regards,
E. Vanessa Spearman-McCarthy, MD, '05
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MCG Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement
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Our alumni get together all over the world at chapter events, networking forums, career conversations and awards ceremonies. See if you recognize anyone in these photos or videos!
I was here
For Talmadge “Joe” Bowden, MD, ’66, his University of Georgia ROTC commander — a no-nonsense combat veteran of World War II with a colorful vocabulary — gave him the best advice of his career.
Bowden’s sights were set on following in his father’s footsteps by joining the Air Force and becoming a fighter pilot. His career in medicine, he says, happened almost accidentally.
Pediatrician-in-chief
Her countenance exudes calm, but when her legs are crossed, her right foot probably is a better gauge of what is really going on with Valera Hudson, MD. The foot, typically clad in a navy athletic shoe, is in constant motion.
She calls herself an “introvert by nature,” which she says is not to be confused with shyness, despite what the dictionary might say. Hudson favors author Susan Cain’s description: That introverts prefer quiet, minimally stimulating environs, quiet concentration, listening more than they talk and thinking well before they speak.
Young at heart
When Bennett Grimm, MD, ’06, thinks back, he remembers the awful feeling of not getting into the Medical College of Georgia the first time he applied.
At that point, a friend and first-year medical student suggested, “You need to go talk to Dr. Falls.”
You should have recently received a letter regarding the MCG Stethoscope Program that provides a MCG branded stethoscope to first-year medical students.
Due to dozens of donations from alumni, faculty and friends, the Medical College of Georgia Alumni Association has been able to provide stethoscopes for every freshman medical student and we hope to do the same for every incoming freshman class. For many medical students, receiving their first stethoscope is the first tangible sign that their dream of becoming a physician is coming true. The response from our future colleagues has been overwhelming appreciation and gratitude.
This is an amazing opportunity to impact a students’ life at the beginning of this special journey to becoming a physician.
What better way to welcome our future colleagues, than providing them with MCG branded stethoscopes, accompanied by a note of encouragement from you, to symbolize the bond you both will always share with MCG.
Please click below to impact an MCG student’s life forever. Stethoscopes are $250 each.
icon Learn more about our global network of alumni and the impact they are making on the world.
The College of Nursing recently celebrated 50 years for our class of 1974! At the Alumni Reception in April, we awarded medallions for our alums in attendance; Norma Cox, MSN (MCG ’77), BSN (MCG ’74), RN, Norma Luten, BSN (MCG ’74), RN, Nina Bass, MD, MSN (MCG ’78), BSN (MCG ’74), RN and Colonel Gwendolyn… Continue Reading Celebrating 50 years with visionary of “Trailblazers Endowment”
Dr. Yahaziel “Hazie” Simon (DMD, 2016) has celebrated several accomplishments in 2024. In February, Dr. Simon passed the American Board of Orthodontics Scenario-Based Clinical Examination, achieving board certification in orthodontics. This designation signifies his advanced expertise in orthodontics and a commitment to providing the highest quality care. More recently, he co-authored an article in the American Journal of Orthodontics and… Continue Reading Alum Earns Board Certification from ABO
This month, we’d like to highlight nursing alumna, Angela Hornsby, MBA, BSN, RN, OCN. Hornsby, class of 2016, is an experienced oncology nurse that has served Augusta University for over 20 years working in both the Emergency Department and Georgia Cancer Center. She earned her BSN from the Augusta University College of Nursing while working… Continue Reading CON alumna earns director role, discusses nursing family legacy
The College of Nursing is celebrating this month with CNL Program Director, Jennifer Broxton, DNP, RN, CCNS, CCRN. She has been selected as a primary podium presenter at the National Teaching Institute (NTI) in Denver, Colorado this May 20-22. Her presentation will be recorded and produced for the virtual NTI in June as well. The… Continue Reading CON program director to be a primary podium presenter at NTI
The “Nurse’s Nurse.” That’s how the College of Nursing and the Augusta community remember Joyce Grimaud. Grimaud passed away on January 1, 2024, but the legacy of the Augusta native continues through the impacts of her 51-year nursing career and the scholarship established in her honor. Grimaud graduated from the Barrett School of Nursing –… Continue Reading The nurse’s nurse: remembering Joyce Grimaud
Melvin Haysman, MD ’71 and his wife Roberta Kamine-Haysman have a longstanding relationship with the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Not only did Haysman graduate from MCG and complete his internal medicine residency there, but he also held a faculty appointment as clinical assistant professor and served for many years on the MCG… Continue Reading MCG alumnus and wife endow stethoscope fund begun by alumni association to ensure its continuity
Zach Powell, DMD ’99, a first-generation dentist, feels extremely blessed to be part of the profession of dentistry. His group employs nearly 50 team members and is one of the largest private practices in southeast Georgia, serving patients across nine counties, in some of which his office is the only dental provider. Passionate about rural… Continue Reading Powell family creates scholarship to bring more dentists to rural areas
