I am truly honored and privileged to serve again as your 2018 President for the UTSD Alumni Association. I had so much fun in 2017, how could I turn down the opportunity to serve another fun year. The new Officers, Board and Executive Director have accepted the leadership of the Association on January 1, 2018. I do not want to miss the opportunity to thank the 2017 leadership and especially our Executive Director, Tricia Fullerton, for a job well done.

What I did not know, at the beginning of an optimistic 2017 year, was that the Houston area would be visited by a very destructive natural disaster called ‘Harvey’. Many of our members, as well as many more citizens of the gulf coast, were devastated. Many have recovered but many are still struggling and recovering at this time. We wish them all well.

Our leadership is focused on the mission and vision of our Association;

-To unite and support alumni and future alumni.

-To promote pride and esteem within the UTSD community.

-For graduates of UTSD to recognize the ‘value of membership’ and importance of supporting the UTSD Alumni Association.

With these goals and direction, we will again be focused on membership growth. To reach out to alumni and thank them for their membership, to renew membership and to ask those non-members to join.

We have many events to display the value of our Association. Some have taken place and some are yet to come:

-A great Alumni Luncheon at the Star of the South Dental Meeting in February 2018

-UTSD Alumni Reception at TDA in May 2018

-UTSD Senior Social

-White Coat Ceremony

-Class Reunions at the Star of the South meeting and throughout the year

-Our annual ‘GALA’ - which was a big success and will again be at the Briar Club in November 2018

-The philanthropic activity of our Foundation

Look for more information throughout the year on our website, emails, e-blasts and mail.  

So join, get active and become an asset of our UTSD community.

I also don’t want to miss the opportunity to highlight again the true ‘GEM’ within our Association, the ‘Foundation’. In 1985, leaders of the Alumni Association had the vision to approach 100 dentists to commit $5,000 each to establish the ‘Founder’s Fund’. That $500,000 has grown to $1.5 million with over $1 million of support for UTSD. Now we have the opportunity to support the ‘Legacy Fund’, introduced in 2012, to encourage 200 dentists to donate $10,000 each to raise $2 million. As Dean Valenza states, “This commitment by alumni will be a difference maker for the future of our school”.

Dentists and especially our alumni have a history “giving back, to appreciate the joys of giving and the blessings that we receive in return”. So I ask all alumni and future alumni to:

-Pay your alumni dues. You can go online @ UTSDAlumni.com or contact our outstanding Executive Director, Tricia Fullerton, @ 713-822-6741 for any questions or issues.

-Become active and support ($ and time) any of the many events or functions.

-Support and donate to our Foundation at any level. The more we give the more we can accomplish.

Lastly, I want to wish everyone in the UTSD community a happy, healthy and prosperous 2018.

Thank you again for this honor and for your support,

Greg Oelfke, DDS