UF College of Medicine renames department for dedicated alumni and donors

Press release from UF Health

BY LAUREN IRIZARRY GALARNEAU

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Marking a milestone, the University of Florida will rename the College of Medicine’s department of radiation oncology to honor two longtime donors and alumni.

The UF Board of Trustees recently approved changing the department’s name to The Alan H. Porter, M.D., & Claudia B. Porter, R.N., Department of Radiation Oncology.

The change ushers in a dynamic new chapter for the department as it embarks on a search for a nationally renowned chair. The Porters’ latest philanthropic investment will be a key piece in that search and will provide ongoing support for the department’s most pressing needs.

“Dr. and Mrs. Porter’s commitment to naming the department reflects both Dr. Porter’s distinguished career in radiation oncology and the couple’s shared dedication as engaged alumni and leadership donors,” said Jennifer Hunt, M.D., M.Ed., interim dean of the UF College of Medicine. “Their generosity will have a transformative impact on our faculty, trainees, and patients for generations to come.”

Both UF graduates several times over, the Porters have long supported programs and initiatives that propel UF and the College of Medicine forward. The gift establishes The Porter Department of Radiation Oncology Endowment Fund, which will grow in perpetuity to support ongoing faculty recruitment, professorships, research, and other clinical and program priorities. This infusion accelerates the department’s upward trajectory, notably as a member of the NCI-designated UF Health Cancer Institute.

“Dr. Porter is a giant in the field of radiation oncology,” said Nancy Mendenhall, M.D., the department’s interim co-chair, medical director of the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute, and longtime UF faculty member. “For more than 50 years, he has practiced radiotherapy and enhanced oncologic care in his extended community. He created an effective model for combined modality cancer management and advanced our field through activism, education, and philanthropy. We are grateful for his trust in UF to expand his and Claudia’s efforts to improve the lives of cancer patients through this transformational gift.”

Alan Porter is a quadruple Gator, having earned all of his academic degrees from UF. He is a 1971 graduate of the UF College of Medicine, where he also served as a resident in radiation oncology. Claudia Porter graduated from the UF College of Nursing in 1975. Soon after, they relocated to Sarasota, Florida, where Dr. Porter established his radiation oncology practice, one of the state’s first to use a linear accelerator to treat patients.

Since the Porters’ first gift to UF in 1980, they have demonstrated exceptional and steadfast commitment to championing causes that uplift the university. In 2013, they gave toward the construction of the George T. Harrell, M.D., Medical Education Building, which opened in 2015. In recognition of their contribution, the college named the building’s tower that houses spaces for studying and reflection the Alan H. Porter, M.D., and Claudia B. Porter, R.N., Tower. In 2017, Alan Porter received UF’s Distinguished Achievement Award.

Now, future radiation oncologists will benefit from their generosity for years to come.

“This investment means a great deal to us,” Alan Porter said. “The university provided endless opportunities and an education experience that we both cherish. We feel it is important and a privilege to give back in this way. We are honored to further partner with the College of Medicine.”