Room 101 has always been a favorite learning environment for medical students because of its engaging environment — and now the lecture hall has a new name, the Ravago Lecture Hall.
The name, unveiled June 14, honors Ravago Holdings America, the world’s largest distributor and compounder of plastic resins, and its $750,000 multi-year gift to the College of Medicine [1].
“Orlando is our home and so UCF was a natural draw when we were deliberating our philanthropic efforts,” said Jim Duffy, president and CEO of Ravago Holdings America. “Particularly, when we took a look at the College of Medicine and what it has achieved in the short space of time, the planned expansion with the new hospital, it was an easy decision.”
Duffy added that the contribution is the start of a great partnership with the medical school to help train the community’s future doctors.
“Not only are they helping this community, but they are helping mankind,” he said of UCF’s medical students. “The profession of medicine is a labor of love and it’s a long road to get there. So I’m really impressed with the path that these students have gone on.”
The Ravago Lecture Hall unveiling included thanks from UCF President John C. Hitt and a champagne toast.
“This is a wonderful day in the life of the College of Medicine,” said Dr. Deborah German, vice president for medical affairs and founding dean of the medical school. “It’s really beautiful to start a relationship with this group and to receive unrestricted funds allows us to do all things we need to do to ensure our medical school gives our students exactly what they need.”
Dr. German made her remarks in a packed Room 101, noting that the medium-sized lecture hall is “filled with memories” and is the preferred classroom for students and faculty because its open access design encourages interaction. After the dedication, Dr. German led Ravago leaders and employees on a tour of the medical education building, making stops at the Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library, the Clinical Skills and Simulation Center [2] and the Anatomy Lab. The group was particularly impressed with the school’s high-tech teaching tools, including computerized mannequin patients and the library’s holdings that are 98 percent digital.
Ravago Holdings America is headquartered in Orlando and has grown to become the company’s largest subsidiary, with estimated annual sales of $5.0 billion in 2016. The local office was selected last year as one of the Orlando Sentinel Top 100 Companies for the fourth year in a row. A family-owned Belgian company, founded in 1961, Ravago also made a donation to the UCF College of Business Administration to help renovate its Entrepreneurship Hub.