School of Medicine honors alumni leaders during 2026 reunion weekend

Reconnecting, reminiscing and remembering were among the emotions shared by physicians who returned to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for the 2026 School of Medicine Alumni Reunion.

The annual reunion weekend celebrated the School of Medicine's Golden Graduates, honoring 19 members of the Class of 1976 on the 50th anniversary of their graduation. Alumni also gathered to recognize physicians whose careers have made lasting contributions to medicine, education and patient care.

"This milestone recognizes not only the passage of time, but also a lifetime of service, leadership, mentorship and compassionate care," said Dr. Loretta Jackson Williams, vice dean of the School of Medicine.

Among those honored was 2026 Distinguished Medical Alumna Dr. Marion Wofford, professor emerita of medicine and former medical director of the adult hospital. Wofford has deep ties to UMMC, having been born at the medical center, raised in the surrounding neighborhood and later returning to build a distinguished career in academic medicine. A 1993 graduate of the School of Medicine, she completed her internal medicine residency, served as chief medical resident and joined the faculty, becoming a nationally recognized hypertension specialist, researcher and educator. Throughout her career, she held numerous leadership positions, including director of the Division of Hypertension/General Internal Medicine and chief of staff, while earning UMMC's Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals for Excellence in Research. Even in retirement, Wofford remains connected to UMMC through volunteer service and community leadership.

"As I reflect on my over 30 years of service at UMMC, I just have to say, I have had a wonderful time," said Wofford. "I have been challenged, I have had so many opportunities, and I have been very fulfilled."

The weekend also recognized 2026 Early Career Achievement Award recipient Dr. Brad Ingram, McCarty Chair of Neurology, vice chair of pediatrics and founding director of the Pediatric Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. Ingram's research has advanced the understanding and treatment of neurological disorders, bridging clinical research and bedside care to improve outcomes for children with complex neurological conditions. His collaboration with the University of Mississippi's National Center for Natural Products Research led to UMMC's first Investigational New Drug registration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"I was a late bloomer y’all, so this is a real honor,” said Ingram.

Five physicians also were inducted into the School of Medicine Hall of Fame: Dr. Stanley Chapman, Dr. Hannah Gay, Dr. Fred Ingram, Dr. Michael Mansour and Dr. James Rayner. Current medical students introduced each inductee, reflecting on the lasting impact these physicians have made on the medical profession and the example they set for future generations.

Chapman, professor emeritus of infectious diseases, was remembered as a physician-scientist, educator, military leader and mentor. His wife, Stephanie Bourgeouis Chapman, accepted his posthumous Hall of Fame induction.

"We are deeply honored, and we will always be honored, that UMMC recognized his life and his work," she said.

A Jackson native, Gay graduated from UMMC in 1980 and completed her pediatrics residency three years later. She spent most of her career at UMMC caring for children with HIV and gained international recognition after helping achieve the world's first documented functional cure of HIV in an infant using an aggressive early treatment approach.

"HIV was a universally fatal illness, and we were able to bring to Mississippi HIV treatments that made it a chronic, treatable illness," Gay said.

Ingram, a Greenwood native, completed his internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UMMC before joining the faculty. He later entered private practice, becoming one of the nation's early pioneers in infertility treatment through intrauterine insemination.

“Some patients overtime thanked me for saving their marriage because they were on the course for divorce,” said Ingram. “The role I played was to cure their medical problem and it saved their marriage.”

Ingram also served as a major in the U.S. Air Force and received the Air Force Commendation Medal for outstanding service.

An interventional cardiologist, Mansour graduated from UMMC in 1984 before completing his residency at Ochsner Foundation Hospital. During more than two decades of practice, he has served in numerous leadership roles with state and national medical organizations while helping shape cardiovascular care across Mississippi.

"UMMC helped enrich my professional life, and as a physician, UMMC helped me to apply the very best care for my patients in order to help save their lives,” said Mansour.

Rayner, a 1966 School of Medicine graduate and Oxford ophthalmologist, became one of the first surgeons in the nation to perform intraocular lens implant surgery. During his career, he performed more than 54,000 cataract surgeries and produced the American Academy of Ophthalmology's first instructional video on cataract and lens implant surgery.

"I have never received an award that is more important to me than this,” said Rayner. “I have no words to express the gratitude that the University of Mississippi had on my life. UMMC made my life. I can’t imagine living not practicing medicine.”

Dr. Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for health affairs, welcomed guests by reflecting on the School of Medicine's growth from its beginnings as a two-year program on the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford in 1903 to its establishment as a four-year medical school in Jackson in 1955. Today, the school is preparing to welcome 175 students into its incoming class this fall.

"We have had remarkable growth at UMMC in these past years, and we should all be proud of that," Jones said.

Activities continued Saturday with campus tours, including the new medical education building, giving alumni an opportunity to see how the institution has evolved while reconnecting with classmates and faculty members.

The weekend concluded with an alumni brunch and class reunions, allowing graduates to celebrate lifelong friendships and professional relationships formed during their time at UMMC.

Held annually, the School of Medicine Alumni Reunion celebrates the achievements of UMMC graduates while strengthening connections among alumni, students and faculty. Through recognition of distinguished physicians and opportunities to reconnect, the reunion highlights the enduring impact of School of Medicine alumni on health care in Mississippi and beyond.