50 Years of Gratitude

Dentistry Class of 1962 honors former dean with new scholarship

“We owe everything to our education at the dental school,” exclaimed Dr. Maury A. “Al” Hubbard (D ’62) in response to the question of why he was so passionate in leading his class’ recent 50th reunion fundraising efforts. Hubbard, along with classmate and lifelong friend, Dr. William D. “Bill” Covington (D ’62) knows the importance of educational opportunity and alumni involvement in the success of today’s dental students.

On most any Friday of the last five decades, you could find Hubbard and Covington in the student clinics as part-time faculty, sharing the skills and wisdom acquired from successful private general dentistry practices with novice practitioners eager to learn the tricks of the trade. “The students are a joy to teach,” says Covington. “They are why we haven’t stopped coming back for the last 50 years!”

Many 1962 dentistry classmates recently returned to campus to mark a half century since their time together under the tutelage of Dean Harry Lyons and his faculty. Besides celebrating their personal successes and collective service to thousands of patients around the country, the group decided to honor Dr. Lyon’s legacy with a new endowed student scholarship in his name.

While planning their reunion, Hubbard consulted his classmates, and they decided on a $300,000 goal. Through letters and phone calls, the group solicited and secured commitments totaling more than $310,000.

The final gift that put them over the goal came as a surprise on the Saturday of Reunion Weekend. During VCU president Dr. Michael Rao’s congratulatory address to the class, VCU mascot Rodney the Ram interrupted the proceedings to deliver a surprise telegRAM. Rao read the message out loud, announcing a $50,000 gift from Covington’s wife, Joseé, and their three sons to honor Covington and his fifty years of service.

The 1962 dentistry reunion giving effort brings full circle a commitment all members of the class made at their graduation. In 1962, each member pledged to give $1,000 to their alma mater within his or her lifetime. A bronze plaque was commissioned to hang in the school to serve as testament to this act of collective generosity. Decades later, during renovations to the Wood Memorial Building, school officials placed the plaque in the attic for safekeeping.

In 2008, a group of senior dental students discovered the plaque and recognized names of several of their part-time faculty, including Hubbard and Covington as well as Dr. J. Gary Maynard Jr. Impressed, the dental students resolved to resurrect the graduation pledge tradition. That year, senior dental students pledged $125,000 to the school. Subsequent classes followed suit, with the Class of 2012 making a record $137,000 gift.

After hearing Dr. Michael Catoggio (D ’08) tell the story of how the 1962 plaque inspired new graduation giving, members of the class of 1962 gathered for a special ceremony. Unveiled by Drs. Rao and Hubbard, the original bronze plaque from 1962 now hangs proudly again in the school. An additional plaque tells the remarkable story of how the class of 1962’s pledge fostered a new generation to give back to their shared alma mater.

Now, a third plaque commemorates the new class of 1962 reunion endowment honoring Lyons. Listed on this bronze plaque will be the names of class members who, with their reunion gifts, generously acknowledged that their years together in dental school were essential to their successes over the last half century.

“We are tremendously grateful to members the D.D.S. Class of 1962,” remarked Dr. David Sarrett, dean of the dental school. “Their graduation pledge fifty years ago inspired our current students to support the school with their own gifts and the 50 year reunion endowment sets a new example of alumni reunion generosity.”