Homecoming 2026: Thoughts from the co-chairs
Celebrating heritage and innovation
As Case Western Reserve University celebrates its Bicentennial, the School of Medicine is preparing for a historic 2026 Homecoming and Reunion weekend (Oct. 8–11). This year’s celebration honors two centuries of medical excellence, alongside the 70th anniversary of the pioneering Medical Scientist Training Program.
Leading this year’s festivities are co-chairs Molly Megan Gallogly, MD, PhD (GRS ’09, MED ’11), attending physician at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and assistant professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve, and Mark R. Needham, MD (MED ’81), a family medicine physician with Providence in Santa Monica, California.
Reconnecting, rejuvenating and looking forward
For both co-chairs, returning to campus is more than a social visit—it is an opportunity to reflect on the core foundations of their careers.
"It is important, from time to time, to go back to visit the place where you learned the foundations of our profession and remember where, when and why we took the Oath of Hippocrates," says Needham. He points out that seeing the modern campus footprint alone makes the trip worthwhile: "If you have not seen the new Health Education Campus, that is worth the trip alone".
Gallogly highlights the personal and professional restoration that comes with returning to campus. "We are all overscheduled, but carving out time to reminisce and reconnect can be unexpectedly rejuvenating," she notes. "It’s a chance to spend time with classmates in a setting without pressure—no lectures, tests or assignments—just catching up, sharing stories and making new connections."
"It is important, from time to time, to go back to visit the place where you learned the foundations of our profession and remember where, when and why we took the Oath of Hippocrates," says Needham. He points out that seeing the modern campus footprint alone makes the trip worthwhile: "If you have not seen the new Health Education Campus, that is worth the trip alone".
Gallogly highlights the personal and professional restoration that comes with returning to campus. "We are all overscheduled, but carving out time to reminisce and reconnect can be unexpectedly rejuvenating," she notes. "It’s a chance to spend time with classmates in a setting without pressure—no lectures, tests or assignments—just catching up, sharing stories and making new connections."
Co-chair's reflections on returning to campus:
Mark R. Needham, MD (MED ’81)
- Must-attend event: The Friday Dean’s Welcome Back Soiree at the Western Reserve Historical Society. "Cleveland and the CWRU School of Medicine have had a very significant impact on U.S. medicine."
- Looking forward to: "I'm inspired by what my classmates have accomplished, and I enjoy hearing about all that and what they have planned."
Molly Megan Gallogly, MD, PhD (GRS ’09, MED ’11)
- Favorite CWRU memory: Doc Opera and Docapella rehearsals held across dorms, the Biomedical Research Building, student lounges and inquiry team rooms.
- Must-attend event: The Friday morning networking breakfast. "I remember how mesmerizing it was as a student to see the physicians and scientists who had 'made it.' I'm looking forward to connecting around shared interests and helping each other's careers."
- Biggest campus surprise: The new classroom space at the Health Education Campus Samson Pavilion. "No more wooden mailboxes, skinny blue lockers, or old-school desks in clusters of four."
Event schedule at a glance (Oct. 8–11)
- Oct. 8–9: Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series
- Oct. 9: Dean’s Welcome Back Soiree at the Western Reserve Historical Society
- Oct. 10: Health Sciences Collaborative event: AI in Action
- Oct. 10: Reunion Class Dinners
