Two-wheeled student commuters are finding it easier to store their bicycles safely and out of the rain thanks to the School of Medicine Alliance. This month, the Alliance followed up its March 2006 gift of 11 wall-mounted bike racks with a further 17 wall-mounted and eight floor-mounted bicycle racks and a heavy-duty tarp to cover the external racks. This gift more than doubles the accommodation for student-only bicycle storage in the Old Library Building – a location favored because of its accessibility and the additional security of its card-access system.  

"The racks bring much-needed organization to that area," said Kate Moore '12, who bicycles a 15-mile round trip each day to attend class. "The Alliance's gift helps in three ways: we can store more bicycles, use the saved room as study space, and promote our commitment to health and sustainability by encouraging non-carbon emission transportation." 

"We're delighted to be able to assist in this way," said Muriel Thomas, Alliance President. "Our goal as an organization is to support all students, and this project clearly meets a demand that has existed for some time and is expected to grow." 

The Alliance also held a very successful Fall Lunch in the BICC Gallery on October 14. Almost 60 Alliance members and their guests heard Tom Wang, MD, Professor, Otolaryngology/ Head & Neck Surgery, talk about advances in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Wang spent much of his talk describing his association with a clinic in Peru and the life-changing surgeries he and his team perform on children and adults with cleft palate and other congenital facial deformities. Left uncorrected, these deformities severely limit a child's educational and social development.

Photo: The new bicycle racks installed and occupied in the Old Library Building