Innovation

For more than four decades, professor emeritus Thomas N. Parks, PhD, has witnessed tremendous growth at the University of Utah. Parks rose up the faculty ranks after joining the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine Department of Neurobiology in 1978. He was chair of the department from 1992-2007, and the U’s vice president for research from 2008-2016. In that role, Parks saw firsthand the power of philanthropy at the U—and how it maximized support to drive innovation.

Those lessons factored heavily in the decision of Parks and his wife, Patricia Legant, MD, PhD, when they made a substantial commitment to advance top initiatives at the U: a gift to establish and support the Thomas N. Parks Chair in the Department of Neurobiology and a gift to support the Thomas N. Parks Endowed Scholarship for Underrepresented Students in the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, as well as a scholarship bequest to the Honors College.

“As an excellent public research university in a relatively small state, the university has an outsized influence on the prospects of the state,” said Parks. “I have a lot of gratitude to the U, but also believe the money will be well spent. It is impressive how much the U gets done with its resources.”

Throughout his career, Parks became a successful inventor and entrepreneur. He cofounded NPS Pharmaceuticals, served as director for multiple other companies, and was named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

His gift to the Department of Neurobiology will support mid-career faculty members who are making significant research contributions to the department and university.

Department Chair Monica Vetter said the chair will be particularly helpful because top-performing faculty at that stage of their careers are highly sought after by other leading academic medical centers.

The department has consistently recruited top faculty from around the country, whose cutting-edge research has increased knowledge of the workings of the brain. Since 2010, more than a dozen faculty have joined the department. Their success has led to key discoveries, inventions, substantial growth in grant funding, and highly competitive awards.

“This gives us a chance to identify faculty who are very productive and also terrific citizens in the department,” Vetter said. “It makes sure they have funds to be innovative and creative—and sends a message to top-performing faculty that we want them here and are investing in their future success.”

Chairholders are selected for a period of three years. The first holder of the Parks Chair is Megan Williams, PhD, whose lab focuses on the process of wiring the brain during development.

“To be recognized in Tom Parks’s name is special since he helped set the U on course to be a leader in neuroscience research,” said Williams, who has worked at the U since 2011.

In all, Parks’s gifts include $1.5 million in new planned gifts to the U. However, at age 72 and in good health, he knew it could be several years before those gifts were realized, and he wanted to make an impact right away.

So he decided to fund the neurobiology chair and the medical school scholarship with annual, recurring gifts.

“It’s fortunate that it is possible to start the benefits flowing now,” he said.

Parks chose to support the Humanitas MD Scholarship because he shares U of U Health’s commitment to increased inclusivity and equity within health care. Research studies have proven that inclusion of individuals with a wide range of identities and life experiences improves educational outcomes in medical students’ ability to address health disparities and advance science.

The scholarship supports students whose inclusion in medical school reflects the evolving needs of medically underserved populations.

Six members in the classes of 2021 and 2022 received this renewable, four-year scholarship. University of Utah Health CEO Michael Good, MD, earmarked $1 million to create the scholarship, and an additional $1 million was raised from supporters like Parks.

University Advancement is actively fundraising to sustain the scholarship.

“Physicians need to be able to relate to their patients,” Parks said. “Having in medicine people from a variety of backgrounds provides a workforce that can serve more diverse patients in rural and urban settings.”

Parks taught at the Honors College and has served on its advisory board. He said his motivation for the bequest was similar to why he gave to the medical school—to help top Utah students of all backgrounds stay in the state.

For information about the Humanitas MD Scholarship, contact Courtney Garay at 801-635-7274 or courtney.garay@hsc.utah.edu.