By Jeanne M. Hoban

Harold (Hal) White, M.D. (’84), grew up with a wide variety of interests. The Akron resident graduated from Firestone High School and went on to attend Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he majored in zoology. He had an affinity for and an interest in science, but he hadn’t decided exactly what direction his career would take.

That changed when he began working in the research lab of Dr. William Falor at Akron City Hospital (now Summa Health Akron Campus). There, he helped develop a noninvasive vascular lab used to test patients for peripheral vascular disease.

“I learned quite a bit,” he recalled. “I was even called on to instruct residents on how to perform and interpret the tests. I figured out, you know, I’m just as capable as some of these guys, and I could do what they are doing too.”

With that realization, Dr. White set his sights on a career in medicine. After a couple of false starts, he earned direct admission to the fledgling Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, now Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), just as the school expanded to welcome more students with undergraduate degrees, rather than just students on the B.S./M.D. path through affiliated universities.

THE IDEAL SETTING

At the time, Rootstown, Ohio, offered little more than a high school, a grocery store, one stoplight, and the Cosmic Pig game room. “Anyone from my class who hasn’t been back would be stunned,” he said. “The changes on campus are incredible. But for me, back then, it was the ideal setting for starting medical school and immersing myself in the basic sciences. I just loved the medical school here.”

Dr. White went on to become an interventional radiologist. During his residency at Indiana University, he trained under one of the pioneers of the specialty. Because his program relied heavily on residents rather than fellows, he gained hands-on experience that far exceeded what many peers received in larger, more traditional settings.

He compared that experience to his student days at NEOMED. “The medical students received a tremendous amount of hands-on experience that, in some places, you didn’t get until you were an intern or resident. I was very thankful for the type of experiences I had here as a student,” he said.

A GENERATIONAL COMMITMENT

Today, after a long and successful career, Dr. White is focused on giving back to the institution that helped shape him, and is, in fact, the University’s most generous alumnus. His philanthropy is directed toward areas where he believes he can make the greatest impact. He has funded an endowed scholarship, making it possible for students to achieve their career goals in medicine.

“I want to do something that really affects students. That’s very important to me,” he said.

A recent gift to NEOMED’s Bitonte College of Dentistry supports several operatories, or dental treatment rooms, where dental students will receive essential hands-on clinical training. “That’s a particular need the University has right now, and I’m able to help with that,” he said.

His commitment to supporting education is deeply rooted in his family. His mother grew up in southeastern Ohio, where her father began working in the coal mines at age 14 after his own father was injured in an accident. Although Dr. White’s grandfather never returned to school, he nurtured a lifelong love of learning, reading the encyclopedia and studying books he received from a local pastor. Dr. White’s father, originally from Connecticut, moved to Ohio to attend Ohio University, primarily due to the affordable tuition. His parents met at Ohio University, united by the belief that education could unlock opportunity. Their education was interrupted by World War II; however, the GI bill allowed his father to complete his education after the war and subsequently go on to attend law school.

That belief in education turned into a generational commitment. Dr. White’s parents established multiple scholarships—two at Ohio University and three at the University of Akron—for students with limited means. “There’s a tradition of supporting education in my family,” Dr. White said. “Both of my parents improved their lives through education, and it was always important to them that others had the same opportunity.”

Dr. White is continuing that legacy at NEOMED, establishing support that directly benefits students and helps advance the University’s mission. “I’m extremely thankful for the opportunities I received by going to NEOMED, so I wanted to give back,” he said.

He is proud of how NEOMED has evolved. “I want them to just keep doing what they’re doing. They’re extremely innovative and creative,” he said of the University. “Some of the programs they’ve started are the first of their kind in the country, groundbreaking. I hope they continue on that path.”

A member of the NEOMED Foundation Board of Directors, Dr. White also hopes his story encourages others to give back, no matter where they are in their lives or their careers. “You can start off with a small amount. Even giving $250 or $500 a year over 20 or 30 years makes a significant difference,” he said. “And later in your career, you may have an opportunity to make a more substantial contribution. Contributing to the development of the healthcare providers of the future is a truly worthwhile legacy. I encourage everyone who has benefited from this institution to give back.”