WS Chronicle

(pictured above:  Medical School Dean Dr. Edward Abraham presents Dr. Velma Gibson Watts with the Distinguished Service Award.)

Velma Gibson Watts, Ph.D., was among those honored recently by the Medical Alumni Association (MAA) of Wake Forest School of Medicine.

She received the Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Watts is associate professor emerita of medical education at Wake Forest School of Medicine.

She received her bachelor’s and master’s degree from Agricultural and Technical College, now North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She received a second master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and earned a doctorate in educational administration from Duke University.

After serving as regional coordinator of communication skills for the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction, Watts joined the medical school faculty at Wake Forest in 1982 as an associate professor of medical education. She also served as director of the Office of Minority Affairs and assistant dean for student affairs. At her retirement in 2000, Watts was named associate professor emerita of medical education. The medical school’s Gordon-Watts Scholarship, which was established to help achieve and sustain diversity in the student body, was named in honor of Watts and Dr. Joseph Gordon, the medical school’s first director of minority affairs.

Dr. Tolan

Dr. Daniel L. Tolan, a WFU Medical School alumnus who serves Christian Medical and Dental Associations and World Gospel Mission in the development of new personnel, partnerships, resources and strategies for international health care ministry, received the Distinguished Achievement Award.

Dr. Adams

Dr. Patricia L. Adams, WFU Medical alumna and longtime WFU faculty member, received the Distinguished Faculty Award.

Winners of MAA awards are selected annually from nominations made to and approved by the MAA Awards and Nominations Committee, which is composed of past presidents of the MAA.