Â鶹ֱ²¥ is thrilled to announce a generous gift from Julie Wood on behalf of the Tom & Julie Wood Family Foundation. The transformative $29 million donation, which is the largest individual gift in Â鶹ֱ²¥ history, will result in the medical school being named the Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The $29 million gift, which was announced at the school’s annual whitecoat ceremony in front of 1,000+ attendees, will significantly contribute to several key areas and profoundly impact our community. It will lead to facility enhancements of the Michael A. Evans Center for Health Sciences, the establishment of endowed scholarships for primary care physicians aiming to practice in Indiana, and the creation of endowed faculty positions to bolster the Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine. Additionally, the funds will support the expansion of clinical rotations and the development of new clinical sites for students, thereby strengthening our community's healthcare system.
Julie Wood was enthusiastic about the contribution, stating, "On behalf of my entire family, we are deeply honored to support Â鶹ֱ²¥ and have great admiration for Â鶹ֱ²¥’s commitment to recruit and educate physicians for the state of Indiana. We believe in the mission of the school and its commitment to training compassionate and skilled healthcare professionals. We hope this gift will enhance the facilities and resources available to students and ensure that Indiana continues to benefit from dedicated primary care physicians. My late husband, Tom, would be very proud knowing that our resources are being invested with an institution like Â鶹ֱ²¥ who shares our commitment to central Indiana and enhancing the community that has done so much for our family.”
Â鶹ֱ²¥ President Daniel J. Elsener thanked Julie Wood for her visionary support. He said, "This generous gift will have a lasting impact on the Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine, allowing us to enhance our educational offerings, expand clinical training opportunities, and ultimately improve healthcare outcomes in Indiana. We deeply appreciate the generosity from the Wood family and their belief in our mission to be a great Catholic university by living out our Catholic Franciscan values.”
Amanda Wright, DO, dean of the Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine shared her thoughts on the landmark gift: “This donation from Julie Wood and her family will revolutionize our ability to provide an exceptional medical education. It will enable us to attract and support talented faculty, offer more robust clinical training, and create opportunities for our students that will shape the future of Indiana healthcare. We are incredibly grateful for their generosity and belief in our mission.”
This gift comes as the Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine just celebrated its tenth anniversary since opening in 2013 and recently graduated over 1,000 students. The Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine is the state's only school of osteopathic medicine and has delivered on its mission to graduate healthcare professionals to serve in Indiana's rural areas. In 2024, 40 percent of the graduating class matched with residencies in Indiana, with nearly 85 percent of those students participating in known physician shortage areas, including primary care, Emergency Medicine, Psychiatry, and General Surgery.
To learn more about the Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine, visit marian.edu/medicine.
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Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine
Â鶹ֱ²¥’s Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine is Indiana’s second and newest medical school, and the first medical school to open in the state in more than 100 years. Guided by the osteopathic medical philosophy, which treats the patient’s mind, body and spirit to find the root cause of illness, students at Â鶹ֱ²¥’s College of Osteopathic Medicine receive a competency-based curriculum that includes interprofessional hospital experiences, clinical integration in biomedical courses, and interdisciplinary training. Follow Â鶹ֱ²¥’s College of Osteopathic Medicine on , , , and .