WesternU College of Health Sciences celebrates 40 years of collaboration, mentorship and humanism

WesternU's College of Health Sciences celebrated its 40th anniversary Sept. 26, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Claremont, bringing together alumni, faculty, staff, students and community leaders for an evening commemorating the college's history and impact. (Photo by Tom Zasadzinski) Left to right: Pomona Unified School District Superintendent Darren Knowles, CHS Dean Gail Evans Grayson, EdD, and Pomona Vice-Mayor Lorraine Canales. (Photo by Tom Zasadzinski)

Western University of Health Sciences College of Health Sciences celebrated its 40th anniversary by honoring the pioneers who built the college's foundation and by raising money to benefit students.

About 200 guests celebrated the event at the Doubletree by Hilton Claremont on Sept. 26, 2026. WesternU Senior Director of Alumni Engagement & University Experience and CHS alumnus Tom Fox, MSHS '19, served as the master of ceremonies. Guests included representatives from the Inland Valley Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., the Marsell Wellness Center, the Pomona Unified School District, and the city of Pomona. Pomona Vice-Mayor Lorraine Canales and Sandra Lopez, representative from state Sen. Susan Rubio's office, presented CHS Dean Gail Evans Grayson, EdD, MA, with proclamations celebrating the occasion.

Western University of Health Sciences was founded in 1977 as the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. COMP added the Master of Science in Health Professions Education program in 1986, paving the way for a second college to form, initially named the College of Allied Health Professions. Founding Dean O.T. Wendel, PhD, gave credit to all of the early believers in the college, starting with WesternU Founding President Philip Pumerantz, PhD.

College of Health Sciences deans past and present. Left to right: Dr. O.T. Wendel, Dr. Gail Evans Grayson, Dr. Stephanie Bowlin, and Dr. Gary Gugelchuk. (Photo by Tom Zasadzinski)

"As founding president, he built WesternU out of conviction. In my case, he saw what a person could become, and then he gave me the room to become it. He gave me the chance to lead before I had earned it. And he trusted me to grow into the responsibility. Much of who I am as an educator and a leader I owe to Phil's dream of what the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, now WesternU, could become. His fingerprints are on every part of what we celebrate tonight."

Wendel also acknowledged WesternU Provost/Chief Operating Officer Emeritus Gary Gugelchuk, PhD, and Senior Vice President for Special Projects Stephanie Bowlin, EdD, who succeeded Wendel as dean of what is now the College of Health Sciences.

"They helped turn a dream into a functioning college, one decision, one hire, one class of students at a time. What looks tonight like an obvious success was, in those early years, a great deal of hard and uncertain work done by a small team who refused to let the vision fall short. To Gary, to Stephanie, and to every colleague who gave so much to change a dream into reality, thank you. This anniversary is yours," Wendel said. "The College of Health Sciences was built on the belief that skilled hands and a caring heart belong together. Forty years later, that belief is still standing. Congratulations to the College of Health Sciences. Here is to the next 40 years, and to keeping the heart of this work exactly where it belongs."

Throughout the evening, guests were encouraged to bid on silent auction items and the event closed with a live auction, with all proceeds benefiting student scholarships and other student support programs.

Department of Health Sciences Chair Rosana L. Bravo, PhD, MPH, speaks at the CHS 40th anniversary celebration. (Photo by Tom Zasadzinski)

Each chair from CHS's four programs were invited to speak, representing Physical Therapy, Medical Sciences, Physician Assistant, and Healthcare Administration. Department of Health Sciences Chair Rosana L. Bravo, PhD, MPH, said the College continues to adapt to emerging technologies, but health care is and will continue to be a people business.

"One thing will not change - our need for humanity, especially in times of crisis and vulnerability where human connections matter," Bravo said. "And that's where our program steps in. We work to produce humanistic health care leaders with transferrable skills to meet current demands while preparing for the next. However, as we adapt to changing policies, our students are not just having to balance the rigor of their programs but having the added burden worrying about how to finance their education. This is why we're here today. By being here and by being intentional, you are making a big difference in their lives. From the depths of my heart, I want to thank you. With your help, our College will be able to fulfill student needs."

Left to right: CHS Acting Vice Dean Dr. Josh Matacotta, CHS Dean Dr. Gail Evans Grayson, and Senior Vice Provost of Academic Affairs Dr. Bradley Henson. (Photo by Tom Zasadzinski)

The Office of the Provost presented Dean Evans Grayson with a gift recognizing her service and leadership.

"Tonight, I have an extraordinary privilege of standing before you as the fifth dean of the College of Health Sciences," Evans Grayson said. "And as I look around this room, I am filled with appreciation, pride, and purpose, because the story of CHS has never been about one person, one program, or even one moment. It's always has been about the people."

She thanked CHS's founders, faculty, staff, and students.

"You are the reason for our purpose," Evans Grayson told the CHS students in attendance. "You are the vision. You are the humanistic providers. We look to you and we are waiting for each and every one of you at the finish line. Thank you for coming to spend time with us and know that all of the donations and proceeds received today goes back to you so that we can ensure that you remain successful."

Dr. Bowlin thanked Drs. Gugelchuk and Wendel for mentoring her and seeing something in her before she saw it in herself.

"Working in the dean space alongside colleagues from Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, and the MSHS health professions remains one of the highlights of my leadership journey," Bowlin said. "I learned so much from those colleagues, and I am grateful for every relationship, every challenge, and every opportunity."

WesternU Senior Vice President for Special Projects Stephanie Bowlin, EdD, announced the establishment of an endowed scholarship for the PA program. (Photo by Tom Zasadzinski)

Bowlin announced the establishment of an endowed scholarship for the PA program.

"My hope is that this scholarship will open doors for students who have the passion, talent, and heart to become outstanding physician assistants but may need someone to believe in them and help make the journey possible," she said. "In many ways, this scholarship represents what my mentors did for me. They saw potential. They opened doors. They challenged me. They invested in me. Now it is my turn to do the same for someone else. And I hope I will not be doing this alone. I hope you will join me in investing in the next generation of PA students. Whether through this scholarship, mentorship, service, or simply encouraging a student who needs someone to believe in them, each of us has the opportunity to make a difference. Because our greatest legacy is not what we accomplish for ourselves. Our greatest legacy is what we give to those who come after us."

WesternU President Robin Farias-Eisner, MD, PhD, MBA, closed the evening with a toast and praise for the College. He said this event is a homecoming and a celebration of purpose, perseverance and possibilities.

"The College of Health Sciences has embraced a simple but powerful idea - healthcare is better when we learn, work, and serve together," Farias-Eisner said. "A spirit of collaboration is at the heart of this College and it is one of the reasons why this College has mattered so much to WesternU and to the communities we serve. That's why it has endured."

WesternU President Robin Farias-Eisner, MD, PhD, MBA, celebrates the accomplishments of the College of Health Sciences. (Photo by Tom Zasadzinski)

Institutions do not create legacies, people do, Farias-Eisner said. Faculty and staff create an environment in which our students can thrive, and our alumni, through the patients they care for and the colleagues they inspire, become part of WesternU's shared legacy.

"There is another reason I'm so proud of this College. You embody the art of humanism with your compassion, your integrity, and your respect for one another," Farias-Eisner said. "Tonight we celebrate the past, but we cannot remain there. We have to look forward. The question before us is what will the next 40 years require of us? I believe they will require us to be even more collaborative, more innovative, more responsive to our communities, and more courageous in reimagining health professions and the education that follows. We must continue to break down barriers between the disciplines. And we must prepare our graduates to be only exceptional clinicians and leaders. but compassionate professionals as well."