Medical College of Georgia Alumni Association
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 鈥� 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鈥檛 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 鈥� 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鈥檛 ask anyone to do more than I鈥檓 willing to do myself. Life is unpredictable, and if someone needs to tend to personal matters, I want to ensure our organization doesn鈥檛 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 鈥� and rightly so 鈥� 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鈥檚 future endeavors.
Thank you for the trust you鈥檝e placed in me and for your dedication to the legacy of MCG. I鈥檓 honored to walk alongside you in this chapter.
Warmest regards,
E. Vanessa Spearman-McCarthy, MD, '05
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Alumni & Student Events
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Contact Us
MCG Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement
1120 15th Street, HS 3200/PAE
Augusta, GA 30912
706-737-1759
icon Worth a Thousand Words
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!
MCG Hooding 2025
White Coat Ceremony 2024
MCG Hooding 2024
Match Day 2024
White Coat Ceremony - Class of 2027
MCG Hooding 2023
2023 Match Day
White Coat Ceremony - Class of 2026
MCG Alumni featured in MCG Medicine magazine
I was here
For Talmadge 鈥淛oe鈥� Bowden, MD, 鈥�66, his University of Georgia ROTC commander 鈥� a no-nonsense combat veteran of World War II with a colorful vocabulary 鈥� gave him the best advice of his career.
Bowden鈥檚 sights were set on following in his father鈥檚 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 鈥渋ntrovert by nature,鈥� which she says is not to be confused with shyness, despite what the dictionary might say. Hudson favors author Susan Cain鈥檚 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, 鈥�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, 鈥淵ou need to go talk to Dr. Falls.鈥�
icon Stethoscopes for First-Year Students
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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鈥� 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鈥檚 life forever. Stethoscopes are $250 each.
Recent News
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…
Dr. Yahaziel “Hazie” Simon聽(DMD, 2016) has celebrated several accomplishments in 2024. In February, Dr. Simon passed the聽American Board of Orthodontics聽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聽an article in the聽American Journal of Orthodontics and…
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 黄瓜短视频 for over 20 years working in both the Emergency Department and Georgia Cancer Center. She earned her BSN from the 黄瓜短视频 College of Nursing while working…
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…
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 -…
Melvin Haysman, MD '71 and his wife Roberta Kamine-Haysman have a longstanding relationship with the Medical College of Georgia at 黄瓜短视频. 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…
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…